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Published on: July 18, 2014
Nutritional status of children with congenital heart disease
I M Mitchell1, R W Logan, J C Pollock
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow.
Insights
Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) often show significant undernutrition. Nutritional status assessment revealed widespread deficiencies in anthropometric and biochemical markers in these pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Nutritional Science
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects children's overall health.
- Nutritional status is a critical factor in the well-being and recovery of children with CHD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the nutritional status of pediatric patients diagnosed with congenital heart disease.
- To identify the prevalence of undernutrition in children with CHD.
Main Methods:
- Assessed nutritional status using six anthropometric, 24 biochemical, and five hematological markers.
- Included 48 children admitted for surgical correction of CHD in West Scotland.
- Compared measurements against age-matched British reference data and local laboratory normals.
Main Results:
- High prevalence of undernutrition: 52% below third centile for weight, 37% for height.
- Abnormal anthropometric measurements included mid-arm circumference (20.1%) and arm muscle circumference (16.7%).
- 83.3% of patients had five or more abnormal biochemical/hematological measurements.
Conclusions:
- Children with congenital heart disease exhibit frequent undernutrition.
- Nutritional deficiencies are prevalent regardless of the specific cardiac defect or cyanosis.
- Early nutritional assessment and intervention are crucial for pediatric CHD management.
Objective:
To assess the nutritional status of children with congenital heart disease.
Design:
Six anthropometric, 24 biochemical, and five haematological markers of nutritional wellbeing were measured in children with congenital heart disease.
Setting:
The west of Scotland.
Patients:
48 children admitted consecutively for surgical correction of congenital heart disease.
Main Outcome Measures:
Height, weight, and triceps and subscapular skin fold thicknesses were considered abnormal if they were below the third centile compared with standard reference data for age matched British children. Mid-arm circumference and arm muscle circumference were considered abnormal if they fell below the fifth centile compared with standard data. Biochemical and haematological data were compared with age matched and locally validated laboratory normals.
Results:
A marked degree of undernutrition was evident in all children; 52% had weight less than the third centile, 37% were below the third centile for height, and 12.5% were below the third centile for triceps skin fold thickness and 18.8% for subscapular skin fold thickness. Mid-arm circumference and arm muscle circumference were below the fifth centile in 20.1% and 16.7% of children respectively. Five or more of the 29 biochemical and haematological measurements were abnormal in 83.3% of patients; 10 or more were abnormal in 12.5% of patients.
Conclusions:
Children with congenital heart disease are frequently undernourished, irrespective of the nature of cardiac defect and the presence or absence of cyanosis.
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