Quick test detects baby heart defects

A painless five minute test could save the lives of many babies born with congenital heart defects, a large study has found.

UK researchers found that measuring the levels of oxygen in a newborn baby's blood can identify babies with heart defects which are missed during conventional screening for heart abnormalities.

Congenital heart defects, which affect around one in every 145 babies born, are usually detected by ultrasound scans during the mother's pregnancy, or in the routine physical check-up carried out shortly after birth.

However, the methods currently in use don't detect all heart abnormalities. A "substantial number" of babies leave hospital with undiagnosed heart problems, putting them at risk of higher rates of complications and even death, researchers at the University of Birmingham said.

The team of researchers used a non-invasive test known as pulse oximetry to measure the blood oxygen levels of more than 20,000 apparently healthy babies at six maternity units across the UK. The health of the babies was tracked for twelve months.

The test, which takes less than five minutes, involves attaching a sensor to the baby's hand and foot and detects whether the blood oxygen levels are too low or differ between the baby's hand and foot.

The researchers found that pulse oximetry detected 75 per cent of all critical cases (ones which cause death or need surgery within 28 days of birth) and 49 per cent of all major congenital heart defects (ones which cause death or require surgery within 12 months of birth).

When the pulse oximetry test was used along with the routine ultrasound and the newborn physical check-up, 92 per cent of critical congenital heart defects were detected, and no babies died from undiagnosed heart disease.

The study findings are published online in The Lancet journal.

Dr Andrew Ewer, who led the study, said: "This study has shown conclusively that this test is advantageous. We would like to see all babies being routinely tested. In this way the test will pick up additional babies who might otherwise have become very ill or even died."

Amy Thompson, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Early and rapid detection is key for greater survival.

“Not all babies who are born with a heart defect will show any signs or symptoms, so problems can go unnoticed. This is a promising piece of research which shows how a quick and simple test could help to detect more heart defects and make a real difference.”

This article was published on Fri 5 August 2011