[Predicting congenital cardiovascular defects on the basis of their immunogenetic characteristics]

The study was undertaken to examine 80 children with congenital heart and vessel malformations, their parents (50 married couples), and 100 families with healthy children. The antigen typing of the HLA system was accomplished by using the Terasaki microlymphocytotoxic test. A statistically significant correlation was found between B35 antigens and septal malformations, vascular diseases, and congenital cardiomyopathies. The unfavorable obstetric history was shown to play a role in the occurrence of developmental malformations. The data of an analysis of HLA antigens in the parents of the children with congenital malformations suggest that a marked HLA antigen compatibility of married couples is one of the cause of pregnancy complications and developmental malformations in their offspring.