[Prospective follow-up of ventricular septal defects and the incidence of their spontaneous closure in children].

Over a period of three years, we have followed up children with congenital heart defect. They were followed up from the moment of birth. Ventricular septal defect (VSD) was diagnosed in 21 children (37.5%). Prevalent were the boys, 71.4%. Three children with ventricular septal defect died (14.3%), although the cause of death was not VSD. In nine children (42.8%), ventricular septal defect has spontaneously closed. On the basis of typical physical finding, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray and echocardiography, we concluded that five children had small, while four of them had medium ventricular septal defect. Eight children were found to have the VSD in the muscular and one in the membranous portion. Ventricular septal defect has spontaneously closed at the average age of 11.7 months. Prevalent were again the boys (66.6%). The mean birth weight of children with VSD was significantly lower at birth, as compared with the healthy ones (p less than 0.05). In nine children with VSD we have found past medical history data in the perinatal period, susceptible of exogenous and endogenous harmful effects on the growth development of embryo and maturation of organs in intrauterine life. Among the children comprised in that group, spontaneous closure of VSD occurred in 6 of them.