[Clinical-epidemiologic indications for echocardiographic assessment in the neonatal period. Value of risk groups]

An echocardiographic study was performed in newborns from risk groups, with the aim of to determining prevalence and to evaluate the indications for this test in the neonatal period.

One hundred fifty six newborns were studied. They were admitted to the Newborn ward of the Department of Obstetric of the HC-FMUSP, in the period of November 91 to April 93, from mothers with congenital heart disease or diabetes, low birth weight newborns, with extracardiac malformations, cardiac signs and/or congenital infections.

The observed prevalence was 21.8%, greater than that of the general population (0.8-1.2%). The group composed by 27 children with extracardiac abnormalities presented the largest prevalence when compared with the other groups (40.7%). These data justify the use of echocardiography in high risk newborns for the detection of congenital heart disease.