[Clinical epidemiological study of peri-conceptional multiple risk factors and congenital heart diseases]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Environmental Health
• Reproductive Medicine

Background:

• Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) represent a significant global health concern in newborns.
• Identifying modifiable risk factors is crucial for primary prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between peri-conceptional exposure to various nongenetic risk factors and the development of CHDs in children.
• To determine specific risk factors linked to common types of CHDs, such as conotruncal defects and ventricular septal defects.

Main Methods:

• An age-matched case-control study involving 435 families of children with CHD and 574 families of children without CHD.
• Standardized questionnaires collected data on paternal characteristics, maternal drug exposure, housing renovation, hair treatments, and parental occupational exposures.

Main Results:

• Infants with CHD had lower birth weights compared to controls.
• Therapeutic drug exposure, viral infections, and occupational exposures showed significant correlations with conotruncal defects (ORs 6.74, 3.73, 2.82).
• Ventricular septal defects were associated with therapeutic drug exposure, home decoration, hair perming/dyeing, and parental work environment exposures (ORs 2.77, 1.76, 1.89).

Conclusions:

• Multiple peri-conceptional nongenetic factors appear to contribute to the occurrence of congenital heart diseases.
• Specific environmental exposures are differentially associated with distinct types of CHDs, highlighting potential targets for intervention.