Hematological and Other Laboratory Indices Abnormalities in Children with Congenital Cyanotic Heart Disease Attending Assiut University Hospitals: A Prospective Hospital-Based Study

Introduction: Congenital heart defects are the most common developmental anomalies and are a leading non-infectious cause of mortality in newborns, affecting up to 6–8 per 1,000 infants. In most cases, the cause is unknown. Erythrocytosis, thrombocytopenia, platelet function defects, and coagulation factor deficiencies are the main hematologic disorders found in patients with cyanotic congenital heart diseases (CCHD).Objective: To determine the hematological and laboratory indices abnormalities in congenital cyanotic heart diseases.Methods: This Prospective cross-sectional observational study was done at the Pediatric Cardiology Unit of Assiut University Hospitals over one year from (January 2023 to December 2023) it included 50 patients who have been diagnosed with cyanotic congenital heart disease through echocardiography, but those with other types of congenital heart disease, congenital anomalies, other chronic diseases, and Post-operative patients were excluded.Results: Erythrocytosis, thrombocytopenia, platelet function defects, and coagulation factors deficiencies were the main hematologic disorders in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD). Most (74% of the patients) had normal white blood cell counts, but many (68%) had abnormal red blood cell counts (erythrocytosis), and 94% of the subjects had iron deficiency and low MCH/MCHC levels (indicators of microcytic anemia). Many (68% of the patients) had elevated uric acid levels, a potential risk factor for gout. Most had abnormally low creatinine and BUN levels (92% of the cases), which may require further investigations.Conclusion: Erythrocytosis, thrombocytopenia, platelet function defects, and coagulation factors deficiencies were the main hematologic disorders in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD).