[Epidemiological analysis of selected congenital limb malformations in Hengyang].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the epidemiological characteristics of selected congenital limb malformations (CLM) in newborns of Hengyang.


METHODS
During the period of 2008-2010, cluster sampling survey was adopted to investigate the congenital limb malformations of neonates born to women resident in Hengyang, including Nanyue District, Zhuhui District, Changning City and Hengshan County. Each newborn was examined for the screening of CLM after birth. Limb malformations were grouped into the isolated (ILM) and the syndromic (SLM) form, depending on associated malformations of the affected. Prevalence rates, CLM spectrum and clinical manifestations were analyzed.


RESULTS
A total of 170 CLM cases were identified among 52,307 newborns during the study period, resulting overall rate of 32.50/10(4). The rates for isolated and syndromic CLM were 28.29 and 4.21 per 10 000 births respectively. The rates for polydactyly, congenital talipes equinovarus, syndactyly and limb reduction defects were 13.00/10(4), 9.56/10(4), 5.16/10(4) and 3.63/10(4), respectively. No significant difference in rates of overall CLM or specified CLM was observed across urban-rural, gender and maternal age groups. Of the cases affected by polydactyly, syndactyly and limb reduction defects, malformation involved upper limbs, lower limbs and the both accounted for 68.14%, 14.16% and 17.70%. Preterm birth, low birth-weight, still birth and neonatal death were observed more frequently in syndromic cases than in isolated patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The high CLM prevalence rate and fatality rate in Hengyang suggest that effective measures should be taken to prevent malformations and to improve survival of the affected.
National Center for Birth Defects Monitoring, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Na-Na
NN
Li
Yu-Mei
YM
Yuan
Yong
Y
Liu
Li
L
Dai
Chang-Fei
CF
Deng
Xing-Hui
XH
Nie
Xiang-Chi
XC
Zheng
Yan-Zhen
YZ
Hu
Yun-Rong
YR
Liu
D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017880:Limb Deformities, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence