Patent ductus arteriosus epidemiology and demographics


 * Associate Editor-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [mailto:psingh@perfuse.org],, Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [mailto:kfeeney@perfuse.org]

Overview
The PDA is commonly found in infants and constitutes only 2% of all congenital defects found in adults.

Epidemiology and Demographics

 * The PDA is commonly found in infants and constitutes only 2% of all congenital defects found in adults.
 * It is an isolated defect in 75% of cases, and is isolated in almost all adult cases.
 * In the United States, the estimated incidence in children born at term is between 0.02% and 0.06% of live births.
 * The incidence of patent ductus arteriosus has increased over the past few decades. This is in part due to increased survival in the premature infants.
 * The incidence is greater in children who are born-
 * Prematurely, with a history of perinatal asphyxia. Perinatal asphyxia delays the closure of the ductus. Approximately, 20% of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome have a patent ductus arteriosus. In babies who are less than 1500 g at birth, many studies show the incidence of a PDA to exceed 30%. The increased patency in these groups is thought to be due to both hypoxia in babies with respiratory distress and immature ductal closure mechanisms in premature babies.
 * Increased incidences in infants with congenital rubella.
 * Children born at high altitude.
 * The female-to-male ratio is 2:1