[Spontaneous closure of isolated ventricular septal defect: incidence and course (author's transl)]

Between 1971 and 1978 the diagnosis of isolated ventricular septal defect was made in 149 patients. Most of these defects were small. In the majority of cases the diagnosis was made clinically. Spontaneous closure was assumed when, all other cardiac findings being normal, the heart murmur had disappeared. This took place in 50 of the 149 cases (34%) during the period of observation. Closure rate was independent of sex and birth rate, but related to size of defect and age of patient at time of diagnosis. Closure rate was 53% for small defects, 15% for larger ones. Because of the limited period of observation the reported spontaneous closure rate is less than the true one, estimated at 70-75% up to the age of nine years.