Jarle Jortveit1, Leif Eskedal2, Asle Hirth3, Tatiana Fomina4, Gaute Døhlen5, Petter Hagemo5, Grethe S Tell6, Sigurd Birkeland7, Nina Øyen8, Henrik Holmstrøm9. 1. Department of Cardiology, Sørlandet Hospital, PO Box 783, Stoa, 4809 Arendal, Norway Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway jarle.jortveit@sshf.no. 2. Research Department, Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand, Norway. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 4. Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 5. Women's and Children's Department, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. 6. Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway. 7. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. 8. Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway Center for Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 9. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Women's and Children's Department, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract
AIMS: Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common birth defects and are an important cause of death in children. The fear of sudden unexpected death has led to restrictions of physical activity and competitive sports. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rate of sudden unexpected deaths unrelated to surgery in children 2-18 years old with CHDs and, secondarily, to determine whether these deaths were related to cardiac disease, comorbidity, or physical activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: To identify children with CHDs and to determine the number of deaths, data concerning all 9 43 871 live births in Norway in 1994-2009 were retrieved from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway project, the Oslo University Hospital's Clinical Registry for Congenital Heart Defects and the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. Survivors were followed through 2012, and information for the deceased children was retrieved from medical records at Norwegian hospitals. Among 11 272 children with CHDs, we identified 19 (0.2%) children 2-18 years old who experienced sudden unexpected deaths unrelated to cardiac surgery. A cardiac cause of death was identified in seven of these cases. None of the children died during physical activity, whereas two children survived cardiac arrest during sports. CONCLUSION: Sudden unexpected death was infrequent among children with CHDs who survived 2 years of age. Comorbidity was common among the children who died. This study indicates that sudden unexpected death in children with CHDs rarely occurs during physical activity. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
AIMS: Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common birth defects and are an important cause of death in children. The fear of sudden unexpected death has led to restrictions of physical activity and competitive sports. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rate of sudden unexpected deaths unrelated to surgery in children 2-18 years old with CHDs and, secondarily, to determine whether these deaths were related to cardiac disease, comorbidity, or physical activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: To identify children with CHDs and to determine the number of deaths, data concerning all 9 43 871 live births in Norway in 1994-2009 were retrieved from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway project, the Oslo University Hospital's Clinical Registry for Congenital Heart Defects and the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. Survivors were followed through 2012, and information for the deceased children was retrieved from medical records at Norwegian hospitals. Among 11 272 children with CHDs, we identified 19 (0.2%) children 2-18 years old who experienced sudden unexpected deaths unrelated to cardiac surgery. A cardiac cause of death was identified in seven of these cases. None of the children died during physical activity, whereas two children survived cardiac arrest during sports. CONCLUSION:Sudden unexpected death was infrequent among children with CHDs who survived 2 years of age. Comorbidity was common among the children who died. This study indicates that sudden unexpected death in children with CHDs rarely occurs during physical activity. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
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