A 43- to 54-year follow-up of 1,000 patients with congenital heart disease

From 1952 to 1963, 1,000 consecutive children with congenital heart disease were evaluated by 1 of us (R.C.A.). Current information for 994 patients with 36,086 patient-years is available. Of these, 362 have died, 130 as adults, of whom 67 died from a cardiac cause. Of the remaining 638 patients, 632 were living, and 6 were lost to follow-up. The survival curves for ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, and pulmonary stenosis paralleled the normal curve. Cyanotic patients had a markedly reduced curve, with 19% alive at 50 years. Most patients were New York Heart Association class I, with only 3 in class IV, each from noncardiac causes. In conclusion, this experience should be helpful to physicians caring for adults with congenital heart disease and provide an optimistic outlook for the patients with less complex conditions.