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Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings in malnourished children

José L Olivares1, Margarita Vázquez, Gerardo Rodríguez

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Lozano Blesa Hospital, University of Zaragoza School of Medicine, Zaragoza, SPAIN. olivares@unizar.es

Journal of the American College of Nutrition
|January 27, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Malnourished children exhibit significant heart abnormalities, including prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc) and reduced left ventricular mass (LVm). Body mass index is a key predictor of these cardiac changes in pediatric malnutrition.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Malnutrition in children is a global health concern with potential systemic effects.
  • Cardiac function can be significantly impacted by nutritional status, yet specific abnormalities require further elucidation.
  • Understanding these cardiac manifestations is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare cardiac abnormalities in malnourished children versus healthy controls.
  • To identify predictive variables associated with these heart abnormalities.
  • To assess electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters in pediatric malnutrition.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study matched 30 malnourished children with 30 healthy children.
  • Evaluated anthropometry, plasma albumin, and electrolytes.
  • Measured corrected QT interval (QTc), QT dispersion (QTd), left ventricular mass (LVm), and LV mass index (LVmi) via ECG and echocardiography.

Main Results:

  • Malnourished children had lower albumin, potassium, and calcium levels.
  • Significantly greater QTc and QTd were observed in malnourished children compared to controls.
  • LVm and LVmi were significantly lower in the malnourished group, with body mass index predicting these variations.

Conclusions:

  • Malnutrition is associated with significant electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities in children.
  • These findings highlight the risk of arrhythmias and sudden death in malnourished pediatric populations.
  • Nutritional status is a critical factor influencing cardiac health in children.
Abstract

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