Adult Congenital Heart Disease in Serbia: Insights from a Single-Center Registry

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD)
• Public Health

Background:

• Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects ~1% of births, with increasing adult populations due to medical advances.
• Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) management requires understanding patient demographics and clinical profiles.
• Serbia's growing ACHD population necessitates a characterization of their specific clinical and demographic landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the clinical and demographic profiles of ACHD patients in Serbia.
• To identify key clinical factors, congenital anomalies, and mortality rates within this population.
• To pinpoint opportunities for improving ACHD care and patient outcomes in Serbia.

Main Methods:

• An observational, single-center study conducted at the Cardiovascular Institute "Dedinje", Belgrade, Serbia.
• Inclusion criteria: Patients diagnosed or treated for CHD between 2006 and 2022.
• Data collection focused on demographics, diagnoses, CHD complexity, and mortality.

Main Results:

• 1532 ACHD patients were analyzed; common diagnoses were atrial septal defects (ASD) (47.65%) and ventricular septal defects (VSD) (13.19%).
• Mean patient age was 48.31 years, with a female predominance (57.21%).
• Overall mortality was 4.2%, with significantly higher rates in Ebstein anomaly (17.78%) and congenital aortic stenosis (11.76%).

Conclusions:

• This study offers a comprehensive overview of ACHD in Serbia, revealing high ASD/VSD prevalence and challenges with moderate/severe CHD.
• Notable mortality rates for specific conditions highlight areas requiring targeted intervention.
• Findings emphasize the need for enhanced early detection, personalized treatment, and multidisciplinary care for the growing ACHD population.