Survival rate changes in children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia over the past three decades: a nationwide, population-based prospective nested case-control study.

Purpose: The survival rate (SR) for neonates born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) remains high. Our aim was to investigate the change in SR in children with CDH over the past decades.

Methods: The study was a nationwide, population-based prospective nested case-control study within a cohort of newborn children who was born in Sweden during the observational period from 1st January 1982 to 31st December 2015.

Results: In the study period, 4654 (99.6%) control children and 684 children with CDH (70.4%, p < 0.001) were with a survival of 2 years of age. Any patients who were born with CDH had a overall 5.8 times higher chance for not surviving 2 years of age than children without CDH. The SR improved significantly in CDH in the past 3 decades. Significantly higher number of patients were prematurely born in the CDH group than in the controls (23.3 vs 6.1%, p < 0.001). The SR of premature and non-premature born CDH patients has increased significantly over the past 3 decades.

Conclusion: The SR of CDH patients were significantly increased in the past 3 decades. The 2-year survival remains 5.8 times higher than those who were not born with CDH. These changes were mainly attributed to the improved SR of premature and non-premature born CDH patients.