Premature birth; a risk factor for atrial septal defect secundum morbidity? - a national case-control study

Abstract

Abstract Atrial septal defect secundum is a common type of congenital heart defect and even more common among children born premature. Premature birth is linked to a biventricular systolic and diastolic myocardial dysfunction which in turn may increase morbidity in congenital heart shunt defects, such as ASD II. The aim of this study was to assess premature birth as a potential associated risk factors for cardiac morbidity in children with ASD II. In this retrospective national registry-based case-control study all children born in Sweden between 2010–2015 with an isolated ASD II diagnosis were included. Association between premature birth and cardiac morbidity in children with isolated ASD II was assessed by different outcomes-models using conditional logistic regression and adjustments were made for confounding factors. Down syndrome was the only independent risk factors for associated with cardiac morbidity in children with ASD II. Preterm birth in children was not associated with an increased risk of ASD II cardiac morbidity.