Regional differences in congenital heart disease

Motivation To estimate the relative frequency of congenital heart diseases detected during the postnatal period in a pediatric population of eleven Colombian departments, and to compare which ones are more frequent according to the country's departments and regions. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, using as an information source the databased collected between 2008 and 2013 during the pediatric cardiology brigades organised by The Cardioinfantil Foundation-Institute of Cardiology, in alliance with civil and government entities in each department. Results Data from 5,900 individuals were analysed, studied with their medical records and echocardiogram. 3,309 (56%) of congenital heart disease were detected, 54.3% of which were for male patients. Within the national range, the most common congenital heart diseases according to their frequency were: ventricular septal defect, right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, atrial septal defect, persistent ductus arteriosus and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. There was a statistically significant difference in the comparison of the distribution of the most frequent congenital heart diseases (p < 0.0001), as there were differences when comparing the distribution of these five conditions within regions, as follows: Caribbean and Andean (p < 0.0001), Caribbean and Pacific (p < 0.0001), Caribbean and Orinoquía (p = 0,0024), Andean and Pacific (p = 0.0015), Andean and Orinoquía (p = 0.0068), Pacific and Orinoquía (p = 0.0001). Conclusions Significant differences exist in the distribution of the most frequent postnatal congenital heart diseases within the different regions of the country. These have never been reported previously neither in Colombia nor in Latin America, and they do not seem attributable to chance.