Associated congenital anomalies and syndromes of 248 infants with orofacial clefts born between 2011 and 2014 in the Japan environment and children's study

This study aimed to document the complication status of infants with orofacial clefts born between 2011 and 2014 in Japan. This was a descriptive study using data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Among 103 060 pregnancies, 248 infants with orofacial clefts were included (livebirth, 239; stillbirth, 4; miscarriage, 5). The items of interest were complication status of orofacial clefts: isolated (typical orofacial clefts only); multi-malformed (orofacial clefts with unrelated major defects); syndromic (orofacial clefts with a syndrome or a chromosomal defect). Regarding the cleft subtypes, of 248 infants with orofacial clefts, 104 had cleft lip with cleft palate (CLP) (41.9%), 68 had cleft lip without cleft palate (CL) (27.4%), 58 had cleft palate without cleft lip (CP) (23.4%), and 18 were nonclassified (7.3%). In infants with CLP, the proportions of isolated, multi-malformed, and syndromic phenotypes were 73.1%, 15.4%, and 11.5%, respectively. In infants with CL, the proportions were 79.4%, 16.2%, and 4.4%, respectively. In infants with CP, the proportions were 69.0%, 13.8%, and 17.2%, respectively. The most frequently associated congenital anomaly was congenital heart disease. In infants with syndromic CLP, 41.7% had trisomy 13. In infants with syndromic CP, 80.0% had the Pierre Robin sequence. Congenital heart disease could be the most frequently associated congenital anomaly. The most frequently associated syndrome could be trisomy 13 in those with CLP and Pierre Robin sequence in those with CP.

Automated summary

This study aimed to document the complication status of infants with orofacial clefts born between 2011 and 2014 in Japan. The study found that isolated orofacial clefts were the most common subtype, congenital heart disease was the most frequently associated anomaly, and trisomy 13 was the most frequently associated syndrome in infants with cleft lip and palate.