PREVALENCE OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE AMONG INFANTS REPORTING IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Congenital heart disease (CHD) represents the most prevalent group of structural birth defects and is a leading cause of infant morbidity and cardiac mortality worldwide. Despite its substantial public health significance, population-specific prevalence data for the Punjab region of northern India are lacking. Such data are essential for planning appropriate cardiac care resources and informing regional health policy. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted over 18 months in the Department of Pediatrics, Rajindra Hospital and Government Medical College, Patiala. Infants aged 0-12 months comprising both consecutive live newborns delivered in the hospital and those attending outpatient or inpatient services were screened. Infants with clinical features suggestive of CHD were evaluated by comprehensive echocardiography (twodimensional, M-mode, colour flow Doppler, and spectral Doppler) using a Sonosite Micromaxx device with an 8 MHz probe. Echocardiograms were interpreted by a trained consultant cardiologist in accordance with the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines. Of 14,236 infants screened, CHD was confirmed echocardiographically in 66, yielding a prevalence of 4.6 per 1,000 live births. CHD was more prevalent among preterm (n = 52; 78.8%) and male (n = 36; 54.5%) infants. The most common clinical presentations were pallor (36.4%), cyanosis (34.9%), and hepatomegaly (34.9%). Atrial septal defect (ASD) was the most frequent lesion (62.1%), followed by patent ductus arteriosus (PDA; 18.2%), combined ASD and PDA (7.6%), and ventricular septal defect (VSD; 4.5%). CHD was an incidental echocardiographic finding in 39.4% of cases. No statistically significant association was found between demographic variables and the type of CHD. The prevalence of CHD in this infant cohort from Punjab was 4.6 per 1,000 live births. ASD was the predominant lesion, consistent with studies predominantly recruiting infants. These findings underscore the need for systematic echocardiographic screening and strengthening of regional paediatric cardiac care infrastructure.