CLINICAL STUDY OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE IN INFANTS IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Congenital heart disease are primarily disease of neonates, infants and children. The burden of CHD in India is likely to be enormous due to very high birth rate. The reported incidence is 8-10/ 1000 live births. Objective was to know the pattern of clinical presentation of various congenital heart disease in 0-1 year age group. To study the different form of cyanotic and acyanotic congenital heart disease in present cases. 50 cases of CHD proven by 2D echocardiography were studied for 2 years period. Present study included all infants in birth – one year age group and excluded all preterm babies and patient with persistent pulmonary hypertension. Out of the 50 cases of congenital heart disease, 34 were acyanotic CHD and 16 cases of cyanotic CHD. VSD (30%) was the commonest acyanotic CHD while TOF (12%) was the commonest among cyanotic group. Growth retardation and CCF were the commonest complication. The mortality rate was 18% with VSD as the leading cause of death among the CHD. The commonest cause of death among these patients was refractory CCF. Most common CHD was acyanotic group with VSD being the commonest and among cyanotic the most common was TOF. A high index of suspicion, detailed history, physical, cardiovascular and other systemic examination, chest X-ray and electrocardiogram along with the use of 2D echocardiography helps us diagnose most of the cases of CHD. Children having murmurs should be screened unless thought to be physiological. A cardiac evaluation with echocardiography is also necessary in all cases of LRTI and FTT. Early diagnosis, close monitoring and timely intervention in cases of CHD will go a long way in reducing the morbidity and mortality to a large extent.