Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026
A Clinical Trial Assessing the Safety, Efficacy, and Delivery of Olive-Oil-Based Three-Chamber Bags for Parenteral Nutrition
Published on: September 20, 2019
Nutritional assessment and surgical risk markers in children submitted to cardiac surgery
H P Leite1, M Fisberg, N F Novo
1Pediatrics Department, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil.
Insights
Malnutrition is prevalent in children with heart disease. Arm circumference and prealbumin levels can help predict postoperative complications, aiding risk assessment for cardiac surgery patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Nutritional Science
- Surgical Risk Assessment
Background:
- Children with heart disease often exhibit malnutrition, impacting surgical outcomes.
- Accurate nutritional assessment is crucial for predicting postoperative complications in pediatric cardiac surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the nutritional status of children with heart diseases.
- To evaluate nutritional parameters for predicting postoperative complications after cardiac surgery.
Main Methods:
- Prospective evaluation of 50 children undergoing cardiac surgery, categorized by surgical risk.
- Assessment included anthropometry (arm circumference, weight-for-height) and plasma proteins (albumin, transferrin, prealbumin).
- Nutritional status classified using Waterlow's modified criteria.
Main Results:
- A high prevalence of malnutrition (78%) was observed.
- Low arm circumference was significantly associated with general postoperative complications in high-risk children.
- Prealbumin levels were significantly lower in high-risk patients who developed postoperative infections (sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 59%).
- Serum albumin and transferrin levels did not show prognostic value for postoperative morbidity.
Conclusions:
- Nutritional risk classification effectively identifies children at higher surgical risk.
- Arm circumference and prealbumin show potential for predicting complications, particularly infections.
- More specific and sensitive nutritional markers are needed for individual risk identification.
Abstract:
In order to assess the nutritional status of children with heart diseases and to evaluate nutritional parameters for predicting postoperative complications, 50 children undergoing to cardiac surgery and classified in high and low surgical risk prospectively evaluated. Assessment parameters included anthropometry and plasma proteins albumin, transferrin and prealbumin. The nutritional classification according to Waterlow's modified criteria showed a high prevalence of malnutrition in the population studied (78%). The measures of arm circumference when located below the 5th percentile showed a significant association with general postoperative complications in the high risk group (arm circumference, p = 0.0019; arm muscle circumference, p = 0.0419). The percentage of weight per height, serum albumin and transferrin has not played a prognostic role concerning postoperative morbidity. The mean value of prealbumin was significantly lower in high risk group patients developing postoperative infections (p < 0.01) compared to those who did not. The sensitivity-specificity analysis of prealbumin as risk indicator for postoperative infection was 87.5% and 59% respectively. The nutritional risk classification seems to be a good way to identify the subgroups of children with additional postoperative surgical risk. However, more specific and sensitive tests are desirable to provide an individual identification of these children.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
01:22Aneurysm IV: Nursing Management
01:26Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure