Thakur, J SNegi, P CAhluwalia, S KSharma, RBhardwaj, R1995-05-012009-05-271995-05-012009-05-271995-05-01Thakur JS, Negi PC, Ahluwalia SK, Sharma R, Bhardwaj R. Congenital heart disease among school children in Shimla hills. Indian Heart Journal. 1995 May-Jun; 47(3): 232-5http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/3858A stratified random sample of 15,080 school going children out of 40,950 children in the age group of 5 to 16 years were screened for the prevalence of congenital heart disease and rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease. Thirty children were found to be suffering from definite congenital heart disease giving a prevalence of 2.25 per thousand. Atrial septal defect was the commonest lesion (38.2%) with a prevalence of 0.87 per thousand followed by ventricular septal defect (32.2%) with a prevalence of 0.73 per thousand. The prevalence of congenital heart disease was found to be significantly more in female (3.3 per thousand) than in male children (1.4 per thousand) (p < 0.05). Three (8.8%) cases had a family history of congenital heart disease. Rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease was found to have a significant prevalence among cases with congenital heart disease (8.8%) as compared to children without congenital heart disease (0.3%) (p < 0.001). The findings suggest the need for screening of family members of those suffering from congenital heart disease and that special attention be paid to the occurrence of rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease in cases of congenital heart disease.engAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHeart Defects, Congenital --epidemiologyHumansIndia --epidemiologyMalePrevalenceRheumatic Heart Disease --epidemiologyJournal Article