Collecting pedigree information in an epidemiological context

Abstract

A method has been developed which documents consanguineous relationships in any population. Results from data collected from patients registered in the Congenital Heart Disease Registry at KFSH&RC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia show an expected number of parents who described a pattern of relationship consistent with a first cousin relationship but fewer numbers of 'other related' than previously reported in the literature. Further studies are in preparation.