Pediatric Sciences Journal (Jul 2023)
Pattern of Congenital Heart Disease In Neonates Conceived In The COVID-19 Era: Single Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Experience
Abstract
Background: Frequency of congenital heart disease (CHD) association with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is lacking. Aim of work: to study difference of frequency and pattern of congenital heart diseases among neonates conceived during the pre-COVID-19 era, and those conceived during the COVID-19 era who were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Faculty of Medicine Pediatric Hospitals, Cairo University. Material and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study in which we revised the files of all neonates admitted to NICU in a period of 6 months from September 2019 till February 2020 (group 1) and from September 2021 till February 2022 (group 2) who were conceived before and during the COVID era respectively. Results: 162 newborns with CHD were enrolled in this study from a total of 1488 admitted in NICU during the 12 months of the study. 74 CHD patients were conceived in the pre COVID era (group 1) whereas 88 patients were conceived during COVID era (group 2). In group 1: 43 cases were males (58.1%) and 31 were females (41.9%), compared to group 2: where 53 were males (60.2%) and 35 were females (39.8%) (p = 0.785). There was no difference in frequency or type of CHD among the 2 groups. The most common CHD was patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with and without pulmonary hypertension in 34 cases (45.9%), followed by atrial septal defect (ASD) in 19 (25.7%), then ventricular septal defect (VSD) in 7 (9.5%), which was not different than in group 2, the most common CHD was PDA with and without pulmonary hypertension in 52 cases (59.1%) then VSD in 8 (9.1%), VSD and ASD in 8 (9.1%) (p= 0.555). Conclusion: The frequency and type of CHD among neonates admitted to our NICU was not different in the era before and the COVID-19 era. PDA with and without pulmonary hypertension was the commonest CHD in both eras.
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