Brain CT diagnosis in infants of the first year of life who have congenital heart diseases

Computed tomography (CT) was used to study the brain in 73 infants of the first year of life who had different congenital heart diseases (CHD). CT was performed on a HiSpeed CT/i spiral computer tomograph (the firm "CE") and a C-150 XP electronic radiation tomograph (the firm "Imatron"). The capacities of the technique in the diagnosis of brain lesion were explored in CHD infants of the first year of life. The studies indicated that the commonest abnormalities in CHD infants of this age were hydrocephalus frequently concurrent with congenital malformations, as well as diffuse and focal changes in the brain.     

Mortality from Congenital Heart Disease in Mexico: A Problem on the Rise

Background and Objectives

Temporal trends in mortality from congenital heart disease (CHD) vary among regions. It is therefore necessary to study this problem in each country. In Mexico, congenital anomalies were responsible for 24% of infant mortality in 2013 and CHD represented 55% of total deaths from congenital anomalies among children under 1 year of age. The objectives of this study were to analyze the trends in infant mortality from CHD in Mexico (1998 to 2013), its specific causes, age at death and associated socio-demographic factors.

Methods

Population-based study which calculated the compounded annual growth rate of death rom CHD between 1998 and 2013. Specific causes, age at which death from CHD occurred and risk factors associated with mortality were analyzed for the year 2013.

Results

Infant mortality from CHD increased 24.8% from 1998 to 2013 (114.4 to 146.4/ 100,000 live births). A total of 3,593 CHD deaths occurred in 2013; the main causes were CHD with left-to-right shunt (n = 487; 19.8/100,000 live births) and cyanotic heart disease (n = 410; 16.7/100,000). A total of 1,049 (29.2%) deaths from CHD occurred during the first week of life. Risk factors associated with mortality from CHD were, in order of magnitude: non-institutional birth, rural area, birth in a public hospital and male sex.

Conclusions

Mortality from CHD has increased in Mexico. The main causes were CHD with left-to-right shunt, which are not necessarily fatal if treated promptly. Populations vulnerable to death from CHD were identified. Approximately one-third of the CHD occurred during the first week of life. It is important to promote early diagnosis, especially for non-institutional births.     

Effects of the PPARG P12A and C161T gene variants on serum lipids in coronary heart disease patients with and without Type 2 diabetes

We investigated whether PPAR-γ2 gene polymorphisms are associated with serum lipids and the occurrence of coronary heart disease (CHD) prospectively characterised for the presence or absence of Type 2 diabetes in a Turkish population. Our study included 202 patients with CHD (102 with diabetes, 100 without diabetes) and 105 controls. PPARγ genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP technique. The PPARγ-C161T CC homozygote genotype was associated with significantly increased CHD risk when compared with the T allele carriers (CT+TT) in CHD patients with diabetes (OR:1.951, 95%CI: 1.115-3.415, P = 0.019), whereas PPARγ-P12A polymorphism was not associated with CHD risk (P > 0.05). Serum HDL-C levels were significantly lower in controls with the P12A heterozygote when compared with the P12P homozygote (P = 0.002). In the CHD patients with diabetes, CT heterozygote genotype showed higher serum triglyceride than the CC homozygote genotype (CT:2.42 ± 1.89 vs. CC:1.61 ± 0.21, P = 0.015). Our findings shows the association of these two polymorphisms with serum triglyceride levels, which was increased in the order of P12P-CC < P12P-CT < P12A-CC < P12A-CT in the CHD patients with diabetes. Furthermore, we observed that the increasing effects of the CT genotype on serum triglyceride levels could be modified by PPARγ P12A polymorphism (P12A-CT:2.30 ± 1.75 vs. P12P-CC:1.79 ± 1.14, P = 0.028). We suggested that homozygote CC genotype of the PPARγ C161T polymorphism might be associated with an increased CHD risk especially in patients with diabetes. We observed that the C161T CT heterozygote genotype shows an unfavorable effect on serum lipid profile in CHD patients with diabetes and this effect was weaken with the presence of P12P homozygote genotype.     

Coronary heart disease (CHD)--one or several diseases? Changes in the prevalence and features of CHD

In retrospect, mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the 20th century followed an epidemic pattern: mortality rates increased dramatically from 1920 until about 1960, remained roughly constant for almost a decade, and have been decreasing since the late 1960s. CHD has traditionally been conceived of as a single disease with multifactorial causality. We suggest instead that CHD cases may comprise at least two distinct populations: those associated with hypercholesterolemia, and those associated with insulin resistance. The epidemic of CHD was due primarily to changes in the incidence of the hypercholesterolemia subgroup. We propose that young adults who survived the 1918 influenza pandemic were rendered vulnerable to lipid-associated CHD and coronary thrombosis upon reinfection with influenza later in life. This vulnerability may be due to autoimmune disruption of low-density lipoprotein-receptor interactions. Historical events may affect the health of populations by affecting the susceptibility of populations to chronic diseases such as CHD. The life experiences of individuals are known to influence their susceptibility to infectious diseases; we suggest that life experiences may also influence individual susceptibility to chronic diseases.     

Epidemiology of adult congenital heart disease: demographic variations worldwide

The population of adults with a congenital heart defect (CHD) is increasing, due to improved survival after cardiac surgery. To accommodate the specialised care for these patients, a profound interest in the epidemiology of CHD is required. The exact size of the current population of adults with CHD is unknown, but the best available evidence suggests that currently overall prevalence of CHD in the adult population is about 3000 per million. Regional differences in CHD prevalence have been described, due to both variations in incidence and in mortality. Knowledge of demographic variations of CHD may lead to new aetiological insights and may be useful for preventive therapies. Socioeconomic status, education, urbanisation, climatological factors, ethnicity and patient-related factors, such as comorbidity, lifestyle and healthcare-seeking behaviour, may play a role in CHD incidence and mortality. The higher risk of several major cardiac outcomes in males with CHD might well explain at least partly the increased mortality rate in men. Regional differences in quality of life among CHD patients have been reported and although methodological differences may play a role, sociocultural differences warrant further attention. Socioeconomic outcomes in CHD patients, such as lower education, more unemployment and less relationships, might have a different impact on quality of life in different cultures. To gain more insight into demographic differences around the world large international multicentre studies on the epidemiology of CHD are needed.     

冠心病三支病变置入Firebird2术后3年的随访研究

目的:通过对冠心病三支病变患者置入Firebird 2支架术后3年的随访,探讨Firebird 2支架的性能。方法:收集2009年1月~2012年12月在解放军总医院住院行冠脉造影确诊为冠心病且首次置入Firebird 2支架患者的临床资料,按术后随访时间不同分为术后3年组(70例)与术后1年组(69例),比较两组的临床资料及术后MACE的结果。结果:术后3年组再发心绞痛的比例显著高于术后1年组(33.8 vs 18.2)%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。而两组间性别、年龄、体重指数、SYNTAX积分、LVEF、优势血管(右)、既往史、诊断、NYHA心功能分级,MACE、再次血运重建、总死亡、非致死性心肌梗死及造影复查比例,支架总数及前降支、回旋支和右冠置入支架数比较均无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:冠心病三支病变置入Firebird 2术后3年主要心血管不良事件的发生情况与术后1年相当,但还需大规模、多中心继续随访研究。     

Risk of subsequent coronary heart disease in patients hospitalized for immune-mediated diseases: a nationwide follow-up study from Sweden

Background

Certain immune-mediated diseases (IMDs), such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, have been linked to cardiovascular disorders. We examined whether there is an association between 32 different IMDs and risk of subsequent hospitalization for coronary heart disease (CHD) related to coronary atherosclerosis in a nationwide follow up study in Sweden.

Methods and Findings

All individuals in Sweden hospitalized with a main diagnosis of an IMD (n = 336,479) without previous or coexisting CHD, between January 1, 1964 and December 31 2008, were followed for first hospitalization for CHD. The reference population was the total population of Sweden. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for CHD were calculated. Overall risk of CHD during the first year after hospitalization for an IMD was 2.92 (95% CI 2.84–2.99). Twenty-seven of the 32 IMDs studied were associated with an increased risk of CHD during the first year after hospitalization. The overall risk of CHD decreased over time, from 1.75 after 1–5 years (95% CI 1.73–1.78), to 1.43 after 5–10 years (95% CI 1.41–1.46) and 1.28 after 10+ years (95% CI 1.26–1.30). Females generally had higher SIRs than males. The IMDs for which the SIRs of CDH were highest during the first year after hospitalization included chorea minor 6.98 (95% CI 1.32–20.65), systemic lupus erythematosus 4.94 (95% CI 4.15–5.83), rheumatic fever 4.65 (95% CI 3.53–6.01), Hashimoto''s thyroiditis 4.30 (95% CI 3.87–4.75), polymyositis/dermatomyositis 3.81 (95% CI 2.62–5.35), polyarteritis nodosa 3.81 (95% CI 2.72–5.19), rheumatoid arthritis 3.72 (95% CI 3.56–3.88), systemic sclerosis 3.44 (95% CI 2.86–4.09), primary biliary cirrhosis 3.32 (95% CI 2.34–4.58), and autoimmune hemolytic anemia 3.17 (95% CI 2.16–4.47).

Conclusions

Most IMDs are associated with increased risk of CHD in the first year after hospital admission. Our findings suggest that many hospitalized IMDs are tightly linked to coronary atherosclerosis.     

Study the association of microRNA polymorphisms (miR-146a,miR-4513) with the risk of coronary heart diseases in Egyptian population

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent cause of cardiovascular mortality in the world. It is well established that microRNAs (miRNAs) and their variants have an essential role in regulating the development of cardiovascular physiology, thus impacting the pathophysiology of heart diseases. This study was designed to determine the possible association of miRNA polymorphisms (miRNA-146a rs2910164C/G and miR-4513 rs2168518G/A) with susceptibility to CHD in Egyptian patients and their correlation with different biochemical parameters. The study comprised 300 participants, including 200 unrelated patients with CHD and 100 healthy controls. Anthropometric and blood biochemical parameters were measured as well genetic analysis for rs2910164C/G and rs2168518G/A polymorphisms were performed for all subjects using TaqMan real-time PCR assay. Our results revealed that the biomedical parameters have a significant correlation between CHD patients and healthy controls with a p < 0.05. Analyses of genotype distribution for (rs2910164 and rs2168518) revealed a significant association with CHD [odd ratio = 4.54, confidence interval (CI 95%) = (2.41–8.53)] and [odd ratio = 0.88, (CI 95%) = (0.83–0.92)], respectively. Furthermore, a statistically significant difference was detected between lipid profile levels and both rs2910164 and rs2168518 polymorphisms. The present study's findings indicated that the selected polymorphisms, miR-146a rs2910164 and miR-4513 rs2168518 could represent a useful biomarker for susceptibility to CHD in the Egyptian population. These genetic characteristics and personal habits and environmental factors may contribute to the development of CHD.     

Age, growth and rate of food consumption in an upland population of the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus L.

In a population of Gasterosteus aculeatus living in an infertile, upland lake, the fish bred at the age of one year and few survived to breed again. The highest growth rates were achieved in the first month of life, but in comparison with other populations of G. aculeatus growth was slow during the autumn and ceased during the winter. But in spring and early summer, there was a spurt in the growth rate.
Laboratory studies provided regression models for the prediction of the rate of food consumption from measurements of growth. The estimates of the consumption rate indicated the effect of the growth in body size and seasonal variations during the first year of life. It was estimated that a fish of mean length in the population consumed 3150 mg of food in a year in which it grew from 65.8 to 552.0 mg, with an overall gross growth efficiency of 15.4%.
The study illustrated the integration of laboratory and field studies to obtain reasonable estimates of the rate of food consumption by fish throughout their first year of life.     

Multivariate Meta-Analysis of Preference-Based Quality of Life Values in Coronary Heart Disease

Background

There are numerous health-related quality of life (HRQol) measurements used in coronary heart disease (CHD) in the literature. However, only values assessed with preference-based instruments can be directly applied in a cost-utility analysis (CUA).

Objective

To summarize and synthesize instrument-specific preference-based values in CHD and the underlying disease-subgroups, stable angina and post-acute coronary syndrome (post-ACS), for developed countries, while accounting for study-level characteristics, and within- and between-study correlation.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted to identify studies reporting preference-based values in CHD. A multivariate meta-analysis was applied to synthesize the HRQoL values. Meta-regression analyses examined the effect of study level covariates age, publication year, prevalence of diabetes and gender.

Results

A total of 40 studies providing preference-based values were detected. Synthesized estimates of HRQoL in post-ACS ranged from 0.64 (Quality of Well-Being) to 0.92 (EuroQol European”tariff”), while in stable angina they ranged from 0.64 (Short form 6D) to 0.89 (Standard Gamble). Similar findings were observed in estimates applying to general CHD. No significant improvement in model fit was found after adjusting for study-level covariates. Large between-study heterogeneity was observed in all the models investigated.

Conclusions

The main finding of our study is the presence of large heterogeneity both within and between instrument-specific HRQoL values. Current economic models in CHD ignore this between-study heterogeneity. Multivariate meta-analysis can quantify this heterogeneity and offers the means for uncertainty around HRQoL values to be translated to uncertainty in CUAs.     

Design and development of an Internet registry for congenital heart defects

BACKGROUND: Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) are conditions that encompass more than 50 diagnoses and are due to developmental abnormalities early in fetal life. The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia treats approximately 100 new cases per month. We recently developed a new CHD Registry that captures, stores and processes our data via the Internet. METHODS: The Registry was developed using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Microsoft Active Server Pages and Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL). RESULTS: Details of CHD cases are captured in a World Wide Web (WWW) Registry, permitting any browser-enabled PC or Mac to participate fully in all registry functions, including data-entry, viewing, editing, searching, reporting, validating, charting, and exporting data subsets to statistics packages. It includes "administrative" features and an active security system. The paper forms have been designed to reflect the "look and feel" of the Web pages. Automatic validation procedures are also included. CONCLUSIONS: Our Registry has been in operation for 3 years. It serves 10 PCs and contains more than 3,000 registered cases of CHD. It is the first CHD Registry to be fully functional on the Internet. It is also the first dedicated CHD registry, and the first to routinely report on the full spectrum of CHD diagnoses. The WWW offers several logistical advantages to disease registries, especially those that represent large regions. It also offers the possibility of sharing resources between registries, facilitating the aggregation and analysis of disease data on a world-wide scale. This is useful for rare diseases such as CHD (see http://rc.kfshrc.edu.sa/chdr/demo/).     

Myocardial Metastases on 6-[18F] fluoro-L-DOPA PET/CT: A Retrospective Analysis of 116 Serotonin Producing Neuroendocrine Tumour Patients

Purpose

This study evaluates the prevalence of cardiac metastases in patients with serotonin producing neuroendocrine tumours (NET), examined with ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT, and the relationship of these metastases to the presence of carcinoid heart disease (CHD) based on echocardiography.

Background

CHD occurs in patients with serotonin producing NET. The diagnostic method of choice remains echocardiography. The precise prevalence of cardiac metastases is unknown given the limitations of standard technologies. Nuclear medicine modalities have the potential to visualize metastases of NET.

Methods

All patients who underwent ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT because of serotonin producing NET between November 2009 and May 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The presence of cardiac metastasis was defined as myocardial tracer accumulation higher than the surrounding physiological myocardial uptake. Laboratory tests and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) results were digitally collected.

Results

116 patients (62 male) underwent ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT, mean age was 61±13 years. TTE was performed in 79 patients. Cardiac metastases were present in 15 patients, of which 10 patients also underwent TTE. One patient had both cardiac metastasis (only on ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT) and echocardiographic signs of CHD. There were no differences in echocardiographic parameters for CHD between patients with and without cardiac metastases. TTE in none of the 79 patients showed cardiac metastases.

Conclusion

The prevalence of cardiac metastases detected with ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT in this study is 13%. ¹⁸F-FDOPA PET/CT can visualize cardiac metastases in serotonin producing NET patients. There appears to be no relationship between the presence of cardiac metastases and TTE parameters of CHD.     

Ontogenetic dynamics of the shell convolution diameter of the river snail Viviparus viviparus (Gastropoda, Pectinibranchia, Viviparidae)

The dynamics of the shell convolution diameter with regard to the mollusk age was studied for the river snail Viviparus viviparus. It was found that the diameter of the first (juvenile) convolution remained constant during the ontogenetic development. A weak, but significant increase in the diameter of the second and the third shell convolutions (also juvenile) was observed during the first year of postembryonic development. The forth and the fifth shell convolutions were formed during the first year of mollusk life after hatching; their diameters increased gradually during the second year, and remained constant for the remainder of the life span.     

Network assisted analysis of de novo variants using protein-protein interaction information identified 46 candidate genes for congenital heart disease

De novo variants (DNVs) with deleterious effects have proved informative in identifying risk genes for early-onset diseases such as congenital heart disease (CHD). A number of statistical methods have been proposed for family-based studies or case/control studies to identify risk genes by screening genes with more DNVs than expected by chance in Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) studies. However, the statistical power is still limited for cohorts with thousands of subjects. Under the hypothesis that connected genes in protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks are more likely to share similar disease association status, we developed a Markov Random Field model that can leverage information from publicly available PPI databases to increase power in identifying risk genes. We identified 46 candidate genes with at least 1 DNV in the CHD study cohort, including 18 known human CHD genes and 35 highly expressed genes in mouse developing heart. Our results may shed new insight on the shared protein functionality among risk genes for CHD.     

Hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease.

A large amount of research continues to be conducted on the mechanisms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) effects, and the first of the large clinical trials published its results during the past year. In addition to the well known effects on LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides, recent studies confirmed that estrogen with or without a progestin lowers lipoprotein (a) concentrations in women (but not in men). In men, estrogen appears to have a similar effect on other lipids and lipoproteins and on plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 as in women. A comparison of estrogen with simvastatin indicated that simvastatin is better at lowering LDL-cholesterol while estrogen is better at raising HDL-cholesterol; when given in combination the additional effects were modest. Estrogen and simvastatin had similar beneficial effects on endothelial function. The estrogen effect on endothelial function may be blocked by medroxyprogesterone, but the data are inconsistent. These studies of intermediate outcomes were put in perspective by the results of a landmark secondary prevention trial of coronary heart disease (CHD). This randomized placebo-controlled trial (Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study) of conjugated equine estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone failed to show the anticipated reduction in CHD, and at the same time the threefold increase in venous thromboembolism confirmed that HRT is procoagulant. Therefore, it is still not known whether HRT is a viable option for the prevention of CHD. The preliminary data on selective estrogen receptor modulators are not overly promising, but a definitive trial to test whether raloxifene will reduce CHD is ongoing.     

Rare De Novo Copy Number Variants in Patients with Congenital Pulmonary Atresia

Background

Ongoing studies using genomic microarrays and next-generation sequencing have demonstrated that the genetic contributions to cardiovascular diseases have been significantly ignored in the past. The aim of this study was to identify rare copy number variants in individuals with congenital pulmonary atresia (PA).

Methods and Results

Based on the hypothesis that rare structural variants encompassing key genes play an important role in heart development in PA patients, we performed high-resolution genome-wide microarrays for copy number variations (CNVs) in 82 PA patient-parent trios and 189 controls with an Illumina SNP array platform. CNVs were identified in 17/82 patients (20.7%), and eight of these CNVs (9.8%) are considered potentially pathogenic. Five de novo CNVs occurred at two known congenital heart disease (CHD) loci (16p13.1 and 22q11.2). Two de novo CNVs that may affect folate and vitamin B₁₂ metabolism were identified for the first time. A de novo 1-Mb deletion at 17p13.2 may represent a rare genomic disorder that involves mild intellectual disability and associated facial features.

Conclusions

Rare CNVs contribute to the pathogenesis of PA (9.8%), suggesting that the causes of PA are heterogeneous and pleiotropic. Together with previous data from animal models, our results might help identify a link between CHD and folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM). With the accumulation of high-resolution SNP array data, these previously undescribed rare CNVs may help reveal critical gene(s) in CHD and may provide novel insights about CHD pathogenesis.     

PCI及CABG治疗严重病变程度冠心病患者的临床效果比较

目的:比较经皮冠状动脉介入术(Percutaneous Coronary Intervention,PCI)和冠状动脉旁路移植术(Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting,CABG)治疗术前SYNTAX积分32分的重度病变冠状动脉粥样硬化心脏病(Coronary Heart Disease,CHD)患者的临床效果及安全性。方法:纳入2017年3月6日至2017年5月20日在西京医院心血管内外科成功行CABG且术前SYNTAX积分32分的重度病变CHD患者50名和成功行PCI且术前SYNTAX积分32分的重度病变CHD患者50名,分为PCI组与CABG组。比较两组患者的一般基线资料和院内死亡发生情况,术后一年电话随访患者存活情况、病死原因、再次入院、心绞痛、心肌梗死、脑卒中等发生情况,通过SF-12量表和西雅图量表评估患者的生活质量的改善情况。结果:与CABG组相比,PCI组患者心率更低、住院时间更短、住院花费更少、有PCI史的患者比例更高,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。术后一年,两组患者心功能改善情况和主要不良心脑血管事件(major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events,MACCE)发生率、SF-12量表与西雅图心绞痛量表(Seattle Angina Questionnaire, SAQ)的各个维度评分比较差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:PCI与CABG治疗不同病变严重程度的冠心病患者的临床效果及安全性相当。     

Age determination of Anisotremus interruptus (Perciformes: Haemulidae) by scale reading, in the coast of Colima, Mexico

This paper deals with the age determination in Anisotremus interruptus by reading of scales that allowed the identification of 9 age groups. The width of the growth rings diminishes as the age increases. The growth of the scales is proportional to the fish growth. The period of highest growth rate happens during the first year of life. During the first year A. interruptus grows 12.52 cm, the second year 4.95 cm and the third, 4.60 cm. The strategy of the quick growth during the first year of life allows A. interruptus to diminish the natural mortality.     

中、重度牙周炎与冠心病患者白细胞介素17 及血脂水平的比较

目的:研究汉族人群中、重度牙周炎与冠心病的相关性并初步探讨白细胞介素17在二者相关性中的可能作用。方法:检测和分析40名健康者(健康组)、40例中、重度牙周炎患者(牙周炎组)、28例冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病患者(冠心病组)及47例患冠心病伴中、重度牙周炎的患者(冠心病+牙周炎组)血清白细胞介素17水平、血脂水平(血清低密度脂蛋白、高密度脂蛋白、胆固醇、总胆固醇和甘油三酯)和牙周临床指数(附着丧失、探诊深度和探诊出血)。结果:单因素方差分析结果显示,健康组、牙周炎组、冠心病组及牙周炎+冠心病组的血清白细胞介素17水平分别为(13.01±1.23)、(24.45±2.13)、(59.90±2.23)和(68.87±3.43)ng/L,各组血清白细胞介素17间的差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05),且经协方差分析校正年龄、受教育状况、血压和体重指数后显示,各组血清白细胞介素17水平间的差异仍具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。多元Logistic回归分析结果显示,中、重度牙周炎患者发生冠心病的可能性高于牙周健康者,其发生冠心病的相对风险率比值比为2.416(P=0.039;95%CI:1.126-6.659)。经协方差分析校正年龄、受教育状况、血压和体重指数后,各组血清总胆固醇水平间差异仍具有统计学意义(P=0.018)。结论:严重的牙周感染可能通过改变白细胞介素17水平,影响全身炎症反应和冠心病的发生及发展,可能是冠心病事件的危险因素之一。     

Inheritance of congenital heart disease

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common developmental anomalies and are the leading noninfectious cause of mortality in newborn babies. It has been estimated that between four and ten live-born infants per 1000 have a cardiac malformation (0.4 to 1.0%), 40% of which are diagnosed in the first year of life. The European Registration of Congenital Anomalies (EUROCAT) reported a prevalence of 58.9/10,000 live births in the northern part of the Netherlands (0.6%). Hoffman estimated that the true prevalence of CHD may be as high as 53 per 1000 pregnancies (5.3%), including a 20% occurrence of heart defects in spontaneous abortion, a 10% occurrence in stillbirth, and a 1% occurrence in live birth.