Birth Cohort Effect of the Mortality Rate from Congenital Heart Disease in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The mortality rate from congenital heart disease in Japan had decreased partly because the great improvement of medical treatment and care. Therefore, the patients who would have died of congenital heart disease in younger age in the past may be alive to be adult, and the number of adults with congenital heart disease might increase. If the management of such adults did not improve, the mortality rate from congenital heart disease might increase because of the increased number. METHODS: Using the Japanese vital statistics from 1960 through 1999, we observed the time series of the mortality rate from congenital heart disease by age and sex. The birth cohort consisted of those who were bone in 5-year period starting in 1960. The mortality rate was the sum of the number of death in every five years divided by the population of the center year. RESULTS: The transition of the mortality rate from congenital heart disease for age group 0 to 4 years was decreased since 1973. Other age groups showed decreased mortality rate since late 1960’s. The birth cohort analyses showed that the mortality rate of each birth cohort was decreased as time passed, especially the age group 5 to 9 years old and 10 to 14 years old. CONCLUSION: Birth cohort effect of mortality from congenital heart disease exists in Japan.