Achieving caloric goal in postoperative management of CHD surgery

This study investigated the prevalence of malnutrition, time to achieve caloric goals, and nutritional risk factors after surgery for CHD in a cardiac ICU.

This retrospective study included patients with CHD (1 month-18 years old) undergoing open-heart surgery (2021-2022). We recorded nutritional status, body mass index-for-age z-score, weight-for-length/height z-score, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp time, Paediatric Risk of Mortality-3 score, Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 score, vasoactive inotropic score, total duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the cardiac ICU, mortality, and time to achieve caloric goals.

Of the 75 included patients, malnutrition was detected in 17% (n= 8) based on the body mass index-for-age z-score and in 35% (n= 10) based on the weight-for-length/height z-score. Sex, mortality, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp time, Paediatric Risk of Mortality-3, Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2, and vasoactive inotropic score, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of cardiac ICU stay were similar between patients with and without malnutrition. Patients who achieved caloric goals on the fourth day and those who achieved them beyond the fourth day showed statistical differences in mortality, maximum vasoactive inotropic score, duration of mechanical ventilation, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp time, Paediatric Risk of Mortality-3, Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2, and length of cardiac ICU and hospital stay (p< 0.05). Logit regression analysis indicated that the duration of mechanical ventilation, Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 and Paediatric Risk of Mortality-3 score was a risk factor for achieving caloric goals (p< 0.05).

Malnutrition is prevalent in patients with CHD, and concomitant organ failure and duration of mechanical ventilation play important roles in achieving postoperative caloric goals.