Congenital heart disease among 815,569 children born between 1980 and 1990and their 15-year survival: A prospective Bohemia survival study

The objective of this study was to ascertain the prevalence and survival ra te of children born with a heart defect. A total of 816,569 children live-b orn between 1980 and 1990 in Bohemia (52,478 km(2), population 6.314 millio n, western Czech Republic) were followed up and those with suspected heart disease referred to a center. Echocardiography was done in all of them. All dead children were autopsied. Congenital heart disease was found in 5030 o f 816,569 children (6.16 per 1000 live births). The most frequent condition s were ventricular septal defect (41.59%), atrial septal defect (8.67%), ao rtic (7.77%) and pulmonary (5.81%) stenoses, transposition of the great art eries (5.39%), coarctation of the aorta (5.29%) and persistent ductus arter iosus (5.07%). The first week was survived by 92.46%, the first month by 89 .14%, 6 months by 82.42%, and the first year of life by 80.02%, and 77.11% (95% CI 75.91-78.31%) survived to age 15 years. The best prognosis was foun d in pulmonary stenosis (15-year survival 95.55%), atrial septal defect (92 .04%), persistent ductus arteriosus (90.59%), ventricular septal defect (89 .37%) and aortic stenosis (88.39%). The worst results were attained in hypo plastic left heart, truncus arteriosus and pulmonary atresia with intact ve ntricular septum. In conclusion, the prevalence of congenital heart disease was 6.16 per 1000 live births; 77.11% of patients survived to age 15 years .