Micronutrient Deficiencies in Infants Following Gastrointinal Surgery at the National Children's Hospital

To evaluate the micronutrient status of infants at 1 and 6 months after gastrointestinal surgery and identify the associated factors.

This prospective descriptive study was conducted between February 2023 and August 2024 at the Vietnam National Children's Hospital. Infants who underwent gastrointestinal surgery were monitored for micronutrient deficiency. A total of 120 infants were enrolled, 60 of whom had complete data available for analysis. Among the remaining patients, 12 died from severe infections, and 38 discontinued participation for various reasons, including the high cost of re-examination, lack of time, and follow-up elsewhere. Additional cases were excluded owing to incomplete data for the 6-month follow-up period.

The study included 60 infants (58.3% male), all of whom underwent their first gastrointestinal surgery before 3 months of age. Over time, the prevalence of most micronutrient deficiencies decreased, except for zinc and iron deficiencies. One month post-surgery, anemia and vitamin D deficiency were the most common micronutrient deficiencies (55% and 57%, respectively). At 6 months post-surgery, zinc deficiency was the most prevalent (47%), followed by iron deficiency (33%). The 6-month prevalence of zinc deficiency was significantly higher in infants with intestinal failure than in those without it (p<0.008). The rate of hyponatremia was significantly higher in infants who underwent enterostomy than in those who did not (p<0.001).

Infants undergoing gastrointestinal surgery are at risk of persistent micronutrient deficiencies, particularly zinc, vitamin D, and iron deficiencies. Notably, zinc deficiency was more common in infants with intestinal failure than in those without.