Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T03:45:59.268Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Epidemiology and diagnosis of ventricular septal defect in Malta

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2008

Victor Grech
Victor Grech*
Affiliation:
Paediatric Department, St Lukes Hospital, Guardamangia, Malta
*
Victor Grech, Paediatric Department, St Lukes Hospital, Guardamangia, Malta. Tel: 241251 ext 1471 (Paediatric Department); Fax: 240176 (St Luke's Hospital).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Malta is a small island with minimal changes in its population, making it an ideal location for epidemiological and historical studies dealing with congenital heart malformations. Ventricular septal defect was studied retrospectively from 1930 to 1994. A sharp and significant decline in age at diagnosis was found, predating echocardiography. All defects are now diagnosed by echocardiography, which has resulted in an increased prevalence of this lesion as seen at birth, particularly of minor defects. The prevalence of ventricular septal defect from 1990 to 1994 was 3.85/1000 live births, with 3.O3/1OOO not needing surgery and 0.83/1000 requiring operative intervention. Half the defects closed spontaneously. The majority of ventricular septal defects overall, and those spontaneously closing, were muscular defects. The overall prevalence at birth was significantly higher than that reported in recent studies using similar methodologies, implying that the reported rate is more likely to be the true prevalence at birth of clinically detectable defects.

Keywords

heart defectscongenitalechocardiographyauditseptal defects
Type
Original Articles
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , July 1998 , pp. 329 - 336
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Mitchell, SC, Korones, SB, Berendes, HWCongenital heart disease in 56109 births. Incidence and natural history. Circulation 1971; 43: 323–332.Google Scholar
2.Abu–Harb, M, Hey, E, Wren, CDeath in infancy from unrecognized congenital heart disease. Arch Dis Child 1994; 71: 3–7.Google Scholar
3.Central Office of statistics, Malta. Demographic review for the Maltese Islands for the years 1990–1994. Malta, Central Office of Statistics, 1994.Google Scholar
4.Samanek, M, Slavik, Z, Zborilova, B, Hrobonova, V, Voriskova, M, Skovranek, J. Prevalence, treatment and outcome of heart disease in live–born children: a prospective analysis of 91,823 live–born children. Pediatr Cardiol 1989, 10: 205–211.Google Scholar
5.Jackson, M, Walsh, KP, Peart, I, Arnold, R. Epidemiology of congenital heart disease in Merseyside 1978–1988. Cardiol Young 1996; 6: 272–280.Google Scholar
6.Lewis, DA, Loffredo, CA, Correa-Villasenor, A, Wilson, PD, Martin, GR. Descriptive epidemiology of membranous and muscular ventricular septal defects in the Baltimore—Washington Infant Study. Cardiol Young 1996; 6: 281–290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Rashkind, WJ. Paediatric cardiology: a brief historical perspective. Pediatr Cardiol 1979; 1: 63–71.Google Scholar
8.Martin, GR, Perry, LW, Ferencz, C. Increased prevalence of ventricular septal defect: epidemic or improved diagnosis. Pediatrics 1989; 83: 200–203.Google Scholar
9.Roguin, N, Du, ZD, Barak, M, Nasser, N, Hershkowitz, S, Milgram, E. High prevalence of muscular ventricular septal defect in neonates. J Am Coll Cardiol 1996; 26: 1545–1548.Google Scholar
10.Hiraishi, S, Agata, Y, Nowatari, M, Oguchi, K, Misawa, H, Hirota, H, Nobuyuki, F, Horiguchi, Y, Yashiro, K, Nakae, S. Incidence and natural history of trabecular ventricular septal defect: two-dimensional echocardiography and colour Doppler flow imaging study. J Pediatr 1992; 120: 409–415.Google Scholar