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[Nutritional recovery in infants with congenital heart disease and severe malnutrition using a hypercaloric diet]
V Marín1, P Rosati, M S Las Heras
1Centro de Recuperación de Desnutridos Secundarios (CREDES), Pedro de Valdivia, Corporación para la Nutrición Infantil CONIN.
Insights
A hypercaloric formula effectively supports nutritional recovery in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD). This approach led to significant weight gain, particularly in older infants, aiding recovery despite disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Protein-energy malnutrition is a significant concern in infants diagnosed with congenital heart disease (CHD).
- Effective nutritional interventions are crucial for improving outcomes in these vulnerable infants.
- Understanding the impact of specialized formulas is key to managing their growth and development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a hypercaloric formula in promoting nutritional recovery among malnourished infants with CHD.
- To assess factors influencing nutritional outcomes in infants with congenital heart disease.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study involving 30 infants with CHD, aged 2 to 21 months, over 60 to 90 days.
- Patients received a hypercaloric whole cow's milk formula (1.29 kcal/ml) with added sucrose, butter oil, and corn starch.
- Daily energy intake averaged 220 kcal/kg body weight.
Main Results:
- Infants achieved a mean weight gain of 2.7 g/kg/day.
- Age was a significant factor, with infants older than 9 months showing greater weight gain.
- Cyanosis, cardiac failure, malnutrition severity, and illness-free days did not significantly affect recovery.
- Infants with more severe CHD and intercurrent illnesses exhibited poorer nutritional recovery.
Conclusions:
- A hypercaloric formula can induce substantial weight gain in infants with severe congenital heart disease.
- Nutritional support strategies should consider patient age and disease complexity.
- Further research into tailored nutritional interventions for infants with CHD is warranted.
Abstract:
Protein-energy malnutrition is commonly observed in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD). The effect of a hypercaloric formula on nutritional recovery was evaluated in malnourished infants with congenital heart diseases. We retrospectively studied 30 infants (mean age 9 months, range 2 to 21) with CHD along 60 to 90 days in a closed nutritional recovery center. All patients were fed a hypercaloric whole cow's milk formula with sucrose, butter oil and corn starch (1.29 kcal.ml). Mean daily energy intake was 220 +/- 19.8 kcal.kg body weight.day. Mean weight gain was 2.7 g.kg.day. No effect of cyanosis, cardiac failure, degree of malnutrition or number of illness-free days was observed on nutritional recovery. Patients older than 9 months had significantly greater weight gain than younger infants. Those infants with worse CHD and severe intercurrent illnesses had the worst nutritional recovery. We suggest that a hypercaloric formula induces good nutritional weight gain infants with severe congenital heart disease.