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Long-term survival in children with atrioventricular septal defect and common atrioventricular valvar orifice in Sweden

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2005

Christina Frid
Affiliation:
Unit of Paediatrics, Department of Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Gudrun Björkhem
Affiliation:
Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
Anders Jonzon
Affiliation:
Unit of Paediatrics, Department of Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Jan Sunnegårdh
Affiliation:
Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics, The Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden
Göran Annerén
Affiliation:
Department of Women's and Children's Health and Clinical Genetics, Department of Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Bo Lundell
Affiliation:
Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics, Karolinska Institute, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

Background: The survival for patients with atrioventricular septal defect has improved markedly over the last decades and, during the same period, the survival of children with Down's syndrome has also increased. The aim of our study was to investigate long-term survival in patients having atrioventricular septal defect with common valvar orifice, but without associated significant congenital heart defects, in the setting of Down's syndrome, comparing the findings to those in chromosomally normal children with the same malformation. Methods and results: In a population-based retrospective study, we scrutinised the medical records from 801 liveborn children with atrioventricular septal defect born in Sweden during the period 1973 through 1997. Data on gender, presence or absence of Down's syndrome, associated congenital heart defects, date of birth, operation and death were recorded and followed up until 2001. An isolated atrioventricular septal defect with common atrioventricular valvar orifice was present in 502 children, of whom 86% had Down's syndrome. We found a significant reduction over time in age at operation, and in postoperative mortality at 30 days, from 28 to 1%. Using a multiple logistic regression model, we found no significant differences in mortality between genders, nor between those with or without Down's syndrome. Early corrective surgery could not be identified as a significant independent factor for survival. The 5-year postoperative survival in patients with Down's syndrome increased from 65% over the period from 1973 through 1977, to about 90% in the period 1993 through 1997, and the same trend was observed in chromosomally normal patients. Conclusions: Survival in uncomplicated atrioventricular septal defect with common atrioventricular valvar orifice has greatly increased, and surgical correction is now equally successful in patients with Down's syndrome and chromosomally normal patients, and for both genders. Death in connection with surgery is no longer the major threat, and focus must now be on long-term follow-up.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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