Thymic epithelial abnormalities in patients with congenital heart disease and Down's syndrome

Among 85 children (< 5 years) operated on for congenital heart disease, we found 15 with structural changes of the thymus consisting of epithelial ducts and cysts. Nine of the children had Down's syndrome. In only two of these did we find epithelial abnormalities. In conclusion, these changes were not more frequent in children with Down's syndrome than in other patients with congenital heart disease.