title: Gastrointestinal system malformations in children are associated with congenital heart defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of congenital heart defects (CHD) in children with gastrointestinal malformations (GISM) and mortality rates in patients with GISM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and forty two consecutive children patients with GISM followed up in Pediatric Surgery Clinics of our hospital were examined for cardiovascular anomaly by the Department of Pediatric Cardiology, and the CHD incidence was investigated by examining the records of the patients retrospectively. Chi-square test was used for the statistical analysis of data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and forty two patients with gastrointestinal system malformations were included in the study. Of 242 patients, 135 (55.8%) were male and 107 (44.2%) were female, and their age range was 0-15 years. The most frequent GISM were anorectal malformations (43.2%), atresia involving stomach, ileum or colon (21%) and esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (18.3%). Congenital heart defects were observed in 28.5% of the participants. The most frequent defects were as follows; atrial septal defect (31 patients, 44.9%) a, ventricular septal defect (17 patients, 24.6%) and patent ductus arteriosus (5 patients, 7.2%). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in mortality rate in patients with CHD (16.7%) and without CHD (13.3%) undergoing operations for GISM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We would like to emphasize the importance of the earliest possible cardiological evaluation of all patients with gastrointestinal system malformations.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Fatih University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Utku Arman
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Orün
authors.forename: Meki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilici
authors.forename: Fulya G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Demirçeken
authors.forename: Mahya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tosun
authors.forename: Burhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ocal
authors.forename: Yusuf Hakan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cavuşoğlu
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Senocak
authors.forename: Selmin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karademir
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D018376:Cardiovascular Abnormalities / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000002:abnormalities; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009139:Musculoskeletal Abnormalities / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012886:Skull / Q000002:abnormalities; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000002:abnormalities