New insights on growth trajectory in infants with complex congenital heart disease.
Amy Jo Lisanti, Jungwon Min, Nadya Golfenshtein and 5 others
PMID 35598589WHAT IT FOUND
Infants after complex congenital heart surgery fell into four growth trajectory classes.
Longer stay, tube feeding and low appetite marked the never-recovered group. Nurses can monitor weight, nutrition and feeding support early.
Key findings
01Four distinct weight-for-age Z-score growth classes were identified.
02Infants in the never-recovered class were more likely to have longer hospital stay, tube feeding at discharge, and low appetite.
03Growth classes did not differ by single versus two ventricle physiology or by REACH trial group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a secondary analysis of data collected for a trial, so the researchers could not add variables needed to answer the growth question. No calorie or nutrition data were available beyond feeding mode at discharge, so feeding adequacy could not be assessed. Length-for-age and head circumference data were missing, so growth was judged only by weight-for-age. Follow-up stopped at 4 months, so later growth changes were not observed. The sample excluded families who did not speak or read English, were under 18, or lacked a cellphone or home internet, so results may not apply to all families. The study is observational, so associations do not show that tube feeding, low appetite, or longer stay caused poor growth.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that tube feeding causes poor growth. The study found an association, and the authors note the feeding tube may mark severity or appetite rather than be the cause.