[Growth and development in children with congenital heart defects]

Growth and development have been analyzed in 222 children with congenital heart disease. Results were compared to a group of 50 control children. There was no significant difference in age and sex between the groups (p < 0.05). Thirty-three children (12.16%) had cynotic congenital heart disease (tetralogy of Fallot and transposition of the great arteries) and 189 (87.84%) acyanotic congenital heart disease (ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus and aortic and pulmonary stenosis). A statistically significant growth retardation was noted in all children with cardiac disease as compared to the control group, and it was evaluated by percentile values of body weight and height (p < 0.01). Weight retardation was more marked than retardation in body height (p < 0.01). Growth retardation was more significant in the cyanotic children that in those with acynotic heart disease (p < 0.01). Among the children with left-to-right intracardial shunt, growth retardation was found to increase proportionally with the size of the shunt and was most significant in patients with large left-to-right shunt (QP/QS > 1.80). No statistically significant difference in growth retardation was established among the children with acyanotic heart disease (p > 0.01).