title: Malnutrition in hospitalized children with congenital heart disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of malnutrition among hospitalized children with congenital heart disease by age, disease process, and clinical status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pediatric cardiology units at a 150-bed tertiary care teaching hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (n = 160) were randomly selected from consecutive admissions to the Pediatric Cardiology and Thoracic Surgery Services during a 1-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute and chronic malnutrition, assessed by comparing the patients' weight and height with established means.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute and chronic malnutrition occurred in 33% and 64% of the patients, respectively. Age, diagnostic category, and symptoms were associated with malnutrition. Eighty percent of infants presented with acute malnutrition compared with 18% of patients of other ages (P < .001). Malnutrition affected 60% of patients with left-to-right shunts, 53% of patients with complex heart disease, and no patients with primary rhythm disturbances. Acute malnutrition affected 11% and chronic malnutrition affected 50% of patients with left-sided heart obstruction. Acute or chronic malnutrition occurred in 70% or more of patients with cyanosis and/or congestive heart failure but in only 30% of patients with neither (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malnutrition in hospitalized children with congenital heart disease remains common, highlighting the importance of nutritional screening and intervention.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Promotion and Risk Reduction, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, USA.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies