PROMPT ANALYSIS OF CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS IN NEONATES

Of 26,266 live births over a 3-year period, 163 newborns (6.2 per 1,000 live births) were diagnosed with congenital heart disease (CHD) before discharge from the hospital. The median time to detect CHD was significantly longer in cyanotic CHD (44 hours) than in cyanotic CHD (6 hours). Most newborns had asymptomatic heart murmur (74.8%) and central cyanosis (11.6%). The most common symptom in a cyanotic group was asymptomatic heart murmur (75.5%), while in the cyanotic group it was cyanosis (63.3%). However, an asymptomatic heart murmur may also be a symptom in the cyanosis group (34.6%). We conclude that a routine physical examination at birth and before discharge can detect CHD in the newborn. However, some CHDs may not be detected before discharge.

Place and Duration: In the Pediatric Unit-II of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore for one-year duration from December 2019 to December 2020.

Key words: congenital heart disease, cyanosis, newborn