Congenital heart diseaseCase-control study
Congenital heart defects: familial recurrence patterns in Sweden
- Case-control study
- retrospective
- population-based
- nationwide registers
- matched controls
Authors' conclusion
Congenital heart defect in a relative (parent, full or half-siblings, or offspring) is associated with CHD in the index individual, with recurrence patterns varying by kinship and number of affected relatives.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals born in Sweden 1987–2017 and their relatives (parents, full siblings, half-siblings, offspring), national registers
- Participants
- 51,778 vs 522,543
- Comparison
- Individuals with congenital heart defects (CHD) vs matched controls, by CHD in relatives
- CHDn = 51,778
- Controlsn = 522,543reference
- Outcome
- Familial recurrence of CHD (CHD in index individual by affected relative)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
CHD in index individual by affected relative(s)
Odds ratio (95% CI)
At least one affected relative vs Controls
2.71(2.60–2.83)
Each additional affected relativeOR per relative
2.55(2.46–2.64)
OR
- mothers vs Controls
- 3.12
- full siblings vs Controls
- 3.22
- offspring vs Controls
- 3.18
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Dose-response by number of affected siblings and offspring
- Dose-response observed
Maternal comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, obesity)
- Association of maternal CHD with CHD in index not explained by maternal comorbidities
Original publication
Congenital heart defects: familial recurrence patterns in Sweden. Eur Heart J. Published 8 January 2026. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf1048
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it