LIFE EXPECTANCY AND SOCIAL ADAPTATION IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN-SYNDROME WITH AND WITHOUT SURGERY FOR CONGENITAL HEART-DISEASE

Life expectancy and social adaptation in 373 children with Down syndro me with and without congenital heart disease (CHD) were assessed retro spectively. Survival at age 24 years was 92.2% for patients without CH D (n = 200), and 74.6% for those with CHD (n = 173), Survival for thos e who underwent operation for cardiovascular lesions (n = 95) was 87.8 %, and for those not operated on despite hemodynamically significant c ardiovascular lesions (n = 39), it was 41.4%. Cardiac functional capac ity was better in the children without congenital heart disease and in the group operated on, where most patients also attained good social adaptation. We conclude that children with Down syndrome with congenit al heart disease should undergo early cardiac evaluation and surgery i f indicated.