The cardiovascular risk in children with congenital heart disease[article in french]

We aimed to study the prevalence of risk factors of atherosclerosis as defined in the INTERHEART study, in children with congenital heart disease. PATIENTS AND METHOD: a cross-sectional study performed in 262 children aged from 3 to 18 years old, with an operated or non-operated congenital heart disease. They all responded to a standardized questionnaire on their lifestyle and family history of atherosclerotic disease. RESULTS: A majority of patients presented risk factors: insufficient physical activity (89.0%), lack of daily intake of fruits and vegetables (43.1%), stress (31.3%), familial risk of hypercholesterolemia (14.1%), overweight (7.6%), active smoking (20.6% in teenagers after 14 years old), hypertension (2.3%). These children had a mean of 1.9 + 1.0 risk factors. CONCLUSION: A majority of children with congenital heart disease have risk factors of atherosclerosis. The results of this study highlight the importance of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases prevention in these young patients.