Comparative clinical characteristics of children with a patent foramen ovale in different age groups

In this research the question regarding the clinical characteristics of children with a patent foramen ovale (PFO) was raised. Today, this small anomaly of the heart, while common, has the potential to cause serious complications for children in rare cases. In this study we evaluated the patient family histories of cardiovascular diseases and connective tissue dysplasia, the course of pregnancy, the level of physical development of the children, laboratory findings, echocardiography and ECG data, the dynamics of PFO closure in 37 children of the main group and 37 children of the control group aged from birth to 6 years of age. Among the children of the main group, the following subgroups were identified: with the closure of the PFO at 1, 3 and 6 years, as well as the absence of PFO closure by the age of six years. It was found that boys predominated among the children of the main group. The closure of the PFO was noted to happen later in boys. In the group with the absence of PFO closure boys also predominated. Pregnancy with children of the main group was often accompanied by hypothyroidism and chronic nicotine intoxication in the mothers. In the family histories of the children of the main group connective tissue dysplasia was more frequent. A below-average level of physical development prevailed in children with a PFO low physical development was noted in children with a nonclosed PFO. Among children with a non-closed PFO by age six, a negative trend emerged with the PFO showing a tendency to increase in diameter.

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