Risk factors associated with congenital clubfoot in children

Introduction Congenital clubfoot is a frequent malformation of the lower extremities. However, the causes of this pathology in children are still unclear. The identification of the factors associated with congenital clubfoot is a relevant problem, the solution of which will allow a prenatal prevention of clubfoot in newborns thus reducing the number of patients with this pathology. Purpose The search for possible risk factors leading to a violation of foot development in the fetus and their significance in the occurrence of congenital clubfoot in children. Materials and methods The study was of retrospective nature and was carried out in pairs “Mother-Newborn”. It included examination of 149 children. The first group (n = 97) was compiled by the “Mother Newborn” pairs, in which the child had a typical form of congenital clubfoot; the second group (n = 52) were pairs in which the baby was healthy. The data obtained were processed using tables 2×2 and logistics regression. Results According to the results of the study, it was found that the greatest sensitivity and specificity of congenital clubfoot was associated with the external factor of nicotine dependence in pregnant women (SE = 0.32; SP = 0.90) and the factor of hereditarily burdened congenital foot pathology in close relatives (SE = 0.16; SP = 0.98). An acute respiratory viral infection in the anamnesis, anemia in a pregnant woman or toxicosis did not show statistically significant causal connection with the occurrence of congenital clubfoot according to the analysis using the method of logistics regression (р > 0.05) and they should not be used as prognostic ones. Discussion The data obtained by us on the paramount significance of the two “risk” factors of the congenital clubfoot development (nicotine dependence in a pregnant woman and hereditarily burdened disorder of congenital foot pathology among close relatives) were reflected only in a few scientific sources. Conclusion The risk factors of the greatest sensitivity, specificity and causal relationship with the congenital clubfoot development were associated with the adverse effects of the external factor of nicotine dependence during pregnancy and burdened heredity associated with congenital foot pathology in close relatives (р < 0.05).