Aiming to document the incidence and type of associated congenital heart disease, 20 children affected with the congenital rubella syndrome have been evaluated during a 5 year period, starting 1988. Congenital heart disease was detected in 45% of the cases. Persistent ductus arteriosus was the most frequent finding, followed by ventricular and atrial septal defects. Hearing disturbances ocurred in 83% of the 12 cases studied. Ophtalmic lesions appeared in 69% of the 13 cases analysed, congenital cataracts being the most frequent one. An association of 66% was found between ofthalmic and heart lesions. Regarding the nutritional index, 70% of the cases were situated between the 25th and 50th percentile. The relevant incidence of congenital defects and the documentation of an important number of cases in a short period of time point out to a significant prevalence of the syndrome with imperative need improve the vaccination programs.
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