The Incidence of Isolated Ventricular Septal Defect in Libyan Newborns

This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and spontaneous closure of ventricular septal defects in a randomly selected newborn population, using color Doppler echocardiographic screening. Color flow Doppler echocardiographic screening was performed in 635 neonates within the first week of life. Patients with a ventricular septal defect were also followed up for 6 months to detect spontaneous closure rate and its timing. The incidences of a ventricular septal defect in all neonates, preterm neonates, and term neonates were found as 48.8/1,000, 64/1,000, and 48.1/1,000 live births, respectively. Only three patients were symptomatic. 21 cases had a muscular ventricular septal defect and 10 cases had a perimembranous ventricular septal defect. Most of them had a small ventricular septal defect (≤3 mm). Spontaneous closure was observed in 64.5% of ventricular septal defects within 6 months Closure rate was found as 80% for preterm infants and 66.8% for term infants (p>0.05). The incidence of a ventricular septal defect was considerably high in neonates when routine color flow Doppler echocardiographic examination was performed. Despite the increased incidence of ventricular septal defect, spontaneous closure rate was remarkably high within the first 6 months of life. These defects may result from delayed physiologic development and have a good prognosis.