Risk Factors Associated with Congenital Heart Disease in Patients Presenting to Aljalila Cardiology Clinic between January 2020- May 2020: A Case Control Study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association of maternal diabetes, maternal smoking and syndromes with congenital heart disease (CHD) in patients attending Aljalila cardiology clinic between January 2020 and May of 2020. 
Methods: A case control study to assess the association of maternal diabetes, maternal smoking and syndromes with CHD. All patients that presented to the clinic between January 2020 and May of 2020 were included. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to record the presence of maternal diabetes, maternal smoking, and the type of syndrome and type of CHD. Patients with CHD were included in the case group and patients who did not have CHD were in the control group. Age, gender, and nationality were also collected from the hospital records.Fisher exact test and logistic regression was used to analyze the results.
Results: A total of 177 cases and 211 controls were recruited. All the risk factors increase the risk of CHD, with maternal diabetes (OR 6.3, 95% CI 2.7-14.6) having the strongest association, then syndromes (OR 5.1, 95% CI 2.3-11.3) and lastly maternal smoking (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.0-16.3). The most common type of CHD is ventricular septal defect.Conclusion: Maternal diabetes, maternal smoking and syndromes are significant risk factors of CHD in children visiting Aljalila cardiology clinic. Action needs to be taken in order to decrease these risk factors and so, decrease the incidence of CHD in the future. Clearly, more research is needed in order to identify other risk factors for patients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).