Congenital heart defects in La Réunion Island: a 6-year survey within a EUROCAT-affiliated congenital anomalies registry.
OBJECTIVE
This study compares the prevalence and perinatal mortality of congenital heart defects on La Réunion with European (EUROCAT) standards.


RESULTS
Data were extracted from a EUROCAT-affiliated congenital malformations registry, covering 88,025 births during the period 2002-2007, on the whole island territory. A total of 512 congenital heart defects were registered, including 424 live births, 18 foetal deaths from 16 weeks of gestation, and 70 terminations of pregnancy. The total prevalence of congenital heart defects was 5.8 per 1000 births and live birth prevalence was 4.8 per 1000. The total prevalence of non-chromosomal congenital heart defects was 5.1 per 1000 births, of which 3% were perinatal deaths, 33.3% prenatally diagnosed, and 11.6% termination of pregnancy. Severe non-chromosomal congenital heart defects - excluding ventricular septal defects, atrial septal defects, and pulmonary valve stenosis - occurred in 2.1 per 1000 births, of which 10.3% were perinatal deaths, 59.1% prenatally diagnosed, and 24.3% termination of pregnancy. Of the severe congenital heart defects, the rates of single ventricle (0.20‰), Ebstein anomaly (0.11‰), common arterial trunk (0.25‰), and atrioventricular septal defect (0.62‰) exceeded averages found in Europe, although coarctation of the aorta was infrequent. Conversely, rates of ventricular septal defects, atrial septal defects, and pulmonary valve stenosis were inferior to European standards. Slightly less than half of the congenital heart defects of chromosomal origin were associated with Down syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
In La Réunion, the total prevalence of congenital heart defects is far inferior to that found in Europe. The difference can be attributable to lower prevalences of mild congenital heart defects.
Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Pôle Femme-Mère-Enfant, Centre Hospitalier Régional, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, France.
Hélène
H
Bourdial
Karim
K
Jamal-Bey
Abdelhafid
A
Edmar
Dominique
D
Caillet
Françoise
F
Wuillai
Claire
C
Bernede-Bauduin
Brahim
B
Boumahni
Pierre-Yves
PY
Robillard
Edouard
E
Kauffmann
Annick
A
Laffitte
Yasmina
Y
Touret
Fabrice
F
Cuillier
Alain
A
Fourmaintraux
Jean-Luc
JL
Alessandri
Patrick
P
Gérardin
Hanitra
H
Randrianaivo
D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D050498:Live Birth; D054238:Perinatal Mortality / Q000639:trends; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D017508:Reunion / Q000453:epidemiology