Prevalence of Echocardiographic Profile and Its Related Risk Factors in Congenital Heart Disease Patients; A Cross-Sectional Study.

backgroundCongenital heart disease (CHD) represents the most common and lethal birth defect affecting newborns. This study aimed to characterize the echocardiographic profile of CHDs, along with their prevalence and associated risk factors in CHD patients. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted on CHD patients (aged less than 15) referred to the major pediatric hospital affiliated with Urmia University of Medical Sciences between March 2022 and October 2023. They were selected by convenience sampling method. All pediatric echocardiography was performed by a trained cardiologist. The collected data encompassed a comprehensive medical history, including mothers' parity, prior diagnoses of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, thyroid disorders, COVID-19 infection during pregnancy, prior surgical procedures, use of complementary medicine during gestation, medication history, and mode of delivery. Additionally, child-related characteristics were investigated, including age, gender, co-existing congenital cardiovascular disease, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission history, and echocardiographic findings. Specifically, the study focused on abnormalities in left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Data analysis was done using SPSS software version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

resultsOf 293 CHD children, 59.72% were male and 40.27% were female. Overall, 132 (45%) children were below one year of age. Among echocardiography profile, Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) constituted 65 cases accounting for 22.1% of all CHD cases and Atrial septal defect (ASD) was the second most common CHD accounting for 16.3% of all CHD cases. Mother's infection with Covid-19 during pregnancy (P0.001), type of delivery (P=0.015), and patient's NICU hospitalization (P=0.010) was statistically significant among the patients with normal and abnormal echocardiography.

conclusionThis study reveals a significant prevalence of Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) and Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) among patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), highlighting the crucial role of early echocardiographic screening in this group. It also suggests a potential link between maternal COVID-19 infection during pregnancy, the method of delivery, and abnormal echocardiographic findings in CHD patients. These results underscore the need for further research into maternal and perinatal factors to better understand their impact on the development and prognosis of CHD, ultimately aiding in the improvement of clinical management and preventive strategies.