GROWTH AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN YOUNG CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE

Background. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is frequently accompanied by growth faltering and malnutrition during early childhood. Aim. To assess physical development and nutritional status in children aged 0–3 years with CHD according to age, sex, and defect phenotype. Materials and methods. This prospective observational study included 159 children with CHD and 58 age-comparable controls. Anthropometric indices were calculated with WHO Anthro and WHO AnthroPlus, including weight-for-age z score (WAZ), height-for-age z score (HAZ), weight-for-height z score (WHZ), and body mass index-for-age. Results. Children with CHD had significantly poorer anthropometric indices than controls. The greatest impairment occurred during the first 6 months of life, when severe underweight and wasting were especially frequent among boys. Indicators improved modestly at 6–12 months but deteriorated again at 1–3 years. Children with cyanotic defects had critically low WAZ and WHZ values more often than those with acyanotic defects. Conclusion. Children with CHD require early and regular standardized growth and nutritional monitoring. Infants, boys, and children with cyanotic defects represent the highest-risk groups.

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