The Spectrum of Congenital Heart Defects in Infants with Down’s Syndrome, Khartoum, Sudan: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Abstract

Down’s syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal malformation affecting about 1:700 life born. Congenital heart disease is the most significant malformation in children with Down’s syndrome, it is responsible for most the mortality and morbidity associated with Down’s syndrome. Previous studies suggested that there are ethnic differences in the type of congenital heart disease.

There is no data available for the frequency and types of CHD in infants with Down’s syndrome in Sudan. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and the types of congenital heart defects in children with Down’s syndrome and to assess the impact of congenital heart disease the on nutritional status.

This was a prospective cohort study of infants with Down syndrome over a six month period. Congenital hear disease occurred in 43.1% of children with Down’s syndrome. The commonest lesion was Atrioventricular Septal defect (32%) followed by Ventricular Septal defect (26%), Patent Ductus Arteriosus (17%) and Atrial Septal Defect (15%). Over all under-nutrition was found in 56.9 %; 87.2% were in the children with congenital heart disease group and 33.9% in the group with normal hearts. The presence of congenital heart disease in children with Down’s syndrome had an influence on their nutritional status. Early recognition of the cardiac condition of neonates with Down’s syndrome by screening is justified.