engleski

Surveillance of limb defects in north-western Croatia in the 1991-2001 period

We present the data on the registration of limb defects in four Croatian regions (Varaždin, Rijeka, Pula and Koprivnica) collected on the bases of the EUROCAT methodology and processed in the Referral Centre of the Ministry of Health for Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies of the Republic of Croatia in the Children's University Hospital Zagreb. The total prevalence of congenital anomalies in the Croatian registry was 16.32/1000 births, which is consistent with the EUROCAT registry prevalence – 21.62/1000 births. Limb defects were the most common, with a total of 318 cases (51.22/10000 births compared to 37.60/10000 births on the EUROCAT registry). Hip dislocation and pre-dislocation conditions were most frequently diagnosed (137 cases – 22.11/10000 births), followed by the talipes equinovarus, equinovalgus, calcaneovarus and calcaneovalgus group with a total of 95 cases (15.33/10000 births), polydactyly (50 cases – 8.23/10000 births) and syndactyly 18 cases (2.91/10000 births). We also observed 24 cases of limb reduction defects (3.87/10000 births), together with 8 cases of ADAM complex. 17 cases (5.35%) were associated with at least one other major congenital defect and in 21 cases, the limb defect was part of a specific syndrome. During the ten-year period we observed no clusters, only periodical fluctuations in the prevalence of a particular limb defect. A rapid decrease in the prevalence of polydactyly was noted (from 9.78/10000 births in the 1992-1996 period to 6.65/10000 births in the 1996-2001 period). The total prevalence of congenital anomalies in Croatia is in consistency with the EUROCAT registry. The prevalence rate of limb defects is slightly higher compared to the EUROCAT prevalence. Taking into consideration the fact that polydactyly is easily diagnosed and that its prevalence is not liable to methodological errors, the aetiology of the detected decrease is interesting for further research.

limb defects; EUROCAT; Croatia; congenital abnormalities

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