Regional Distribution of Congenital Heart Disease in Iran; A Study on 1000 Iranian Hospitalized Patients in Three Years

Background: Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is a major health problem around the
world. Several maternal and fetal risk factors have been mentioned to be associated with
development of CHD. However, the epidemiological pattern is different in various parts
of the world. Thus, the present study aimed to demonstrate the descriptive characteristics
of a group of Iranian children with CHD.
Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the regional distribution of CHD
among 1000 Iranian hospitalized children during three years.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1000 Iranian children with
CHD who were hospitalized in Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center,
as a tertiary cardiovascular hospital (2017 - 2019). The participants were selected via
convenience sampling. Clinical data were extracted from the patients’ medical records
and questionnaires and then, a comprehensive evaluation was performed.
Results: The median (IQR) age of the children was 18 (8 - 60) months. In addition, the
mean ± SD of maternal age at pregnancy was 27.3 ± 5.92 years. Ventricular Septal Defect
(VSD) was the most frequent CHD. Most of the patients were Fars (35.7%), Azeri (18.4%),
and Kurd (10.7%). Besides, 58.7% of the patients lived in rural areas. The family history
of CHD was present in 23.9% of the patients. Additionally, 41.4% of the patients’ parents
had consanguineous marriages. Spotting was the most common (48.7%) complication
during pregnancy followed by infectious disease (24.2%), toothache (12.9%), and diabetes
mellitus (7.8%).
Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the baseline neonatal and maternal
characteristics of the patients with CHD, which revealed that some risk factors were
common in these individuals. Hence, it is necessary to provide preventive strategies for
modifiable risk factors, monitor high-risk pregnant women at shorter intervals, raise
awareness in the general population, and perform genetic counselling, as appropriated.
This was the first report of the CHD frequency in Iran.