Medical and social predictors of congenital heart disease in children from a large industrial center
Introduction. Etiology and pathogenesis of congenital heart defects (CHD) are associated with micro- and macro-ecological factors. The aim of the study is to define health and social predictors of various nosological forms of CHD. Material and methods. 106 parents of children suffering from different nosological forms of CHD as well as 63 parents of healthy children were surveyed. Social and health factors as predictors of CHD were defined using the clinical and demographic method. The odds ratio (OR) for the defined factors was calculated. Results. Isolated atrial and ventricular septal defects were found to have a positive association with the social factors, namely high-rise apartments and mothers’ education level. Tricuspid valve disease, pulmonary atresia and stenosis are positively associated with such health factors as the number of abortions, the number of pregnancies and the presence of recurrent respiratory infections before and during the current pregnancy. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for social factors: high-rise apartment during pregnancy (OR 8.08; 99% CI 2.56-28.92, p = 0.001), parents’ educational levels (mothers - OR 4.31; 99% CI 1.20-15.43, p = 0.001; fathers - OR 4.12; 99% CI 1.15-14.74, p = 0.001), length of employment of men with permissible exposure limit (OR 2.56; 99% CI 0.72-9.15, p <0.05). Conclusion. In the formation of different clinical entities CHD holds the contribution of various social and health factors that must be considered when planning a pregnancy.