title: Gestational and family risk factors for carriers of congenital heart defects in southern Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a serious threat to public health. Despite this, its etiology is poorly understood and few cardiac teratogens have been defined. The aim of the present study was to identify gestational and family risk factors for CHD in a sample of patients from a pediatric hospital in southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective and consecutive sample from subjects with or without CHD, hospitalized at a pediatric intensive care unit, was enrolled. All patients with CHD underwent a GTG-banding karyotype. Chromosomal abnormalities were observed in 47 subjects (15.8%), and these were excluded from the study. The final sample consisted of 250 CHD subjects and 303 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After statistical analysis, using logistic regression, the variables age, rural location, gestational loss, use of anti-hypertensive medication, antibiotics and alcohol in the first trimester of pregnancy were all independently associated with CHD. These results were similar to those of some studies and different from others. It should be noted, however, that, for several variables, the data in the literature as well as the present study were insufficient to determine risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some differences found may be explained by genetic factors and sociocultural diversity. In contrast, because CHD consists of a heterogeneous group of lesions, the etiology may vary. The standardization of research data and classification of methods for future studies are essential.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) and Santo Antônio Children's Hospital (HCSA), Santa Casa of Porto Alegre Hospital Complex (CHSCPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiana Diehl
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Zen
authors.forename: Rafael Fabiano Machado
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Paulo Ricardo Gazzola
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Zen
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trevisan
authors.forename: Alessandra Pawelec
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Cláudia Pires
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Ricachinevsky
authors.forename: Giorgio Adriano
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Paskulin
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007621:Karyotyping; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors