title: Spontaneous closure of interatrial septal openings in infants: an echocardiographic study.
abstract: Four-hundred-and-fifteen neonates were evaluated by echocardiographic means in order to detect interatrial septal openings and were followed for a maximum time of 18 months. In 68.67% of them, interatrial septal openings were present at the first week of life. The defects were larger than 3 mm in 50.18% of these infants. At the end of the 18th month, openings persisted in 3 cases. The statistical analyses showed significant difference about the percent of closing between the groups with initial opening sizes lesser and bigger than 3 mm. Also, there was a positive correlation between the initial size and the spontaneous closure time. Spontaneous closure incidences were not different in boys and girls. In a small group of infants (4.64%), interatrial openings close forming septal aneurysms. In 12.3% of the newborns without an opening, septal aneurysms were detected during the initial evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Senocak
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karademir
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cabuk
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Onat
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koc
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duman
mesh_terms: D000783:Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors