Prevalence of Congenital Heart Disease Amongst Schoolchildren in Southwest China.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of congenital heart disease in Yunnan, China which has diverse ethnic groups. METHODS:This cross-sectional study enrolled 244,023 children from 2010 to 2015. To diagnose CHD, a conventional physical examination was used to screen suspicious cases, which were further confirmed by echocardiography. RESULTS:A total of 1695 children were diagnosed with CHD. The estimated prevalence was 6.94%. Atrial septal defects were the most common cardiac abnormalities. A higher prevalence of CHD was observed with preterm birth, low birth weight, maternal age ≥35 years, and high-altitude regions. The prevalence also showed differences between diverse ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS:The prevalence of CHD in China may have ethnic differences.