MORTALITY IN INFANT CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE IN BRAZIL - AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY

Introduction/Objective: Congenital cardiomyopathies are responsible for about 40% of all birth defects and the most frequently reported congenital defects. It is considered to be the first cause of death in childhood in developed countries. In Brazil, approximately 23,000 children are born with heart problems and among these, 80% will need surgical treatment, but it is estimated that about 70% of them do not receive proper treatment. The aim of this study was to analyze the trend in mortality from heart defects in Brazil. Methods: This was an ecological observational study, which is based on data obtained from the Mortality Information System (MIS) where standardized mortality rates per 100,000 population due to cardiac malformations in people of both sexes were analyzed, aged between 0 and 4 years, the geographic region being in Brazil between 2008 and 2013. Results/Conclusion: The standardized coefficient rates of mortality from heart malformations showed a fluctuation along the period with a fall observed in the last year (2013), except for females in the midwest region, where the rate fluctuated but ended with the same value of 2008. It was also noted that the midwest region had the highest mortality rates in the studied period. Although there is a mortality reduction trend in both sexes, in females this reduction was more pronounced. The oscillation of mortality rates may have been given due to early diagnosis and improved survival. However, regional studies are needed to better access the magnitude of the problem.