Predictors of poor weight gain in infants with a single ventricle.
OBJECTIVE
To assess growth from the time of neonatal discharge to the time of performance of the bidirectional Glenn (BDG) procedure in infants with a single ventricle and determine predictors of poor growth.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective case series of infants who underwent the BDG procedure at our institution between January 2001 and December 2007 (n=102). Anthropometric and clinical data were recorded during neonatal hospitalization and before BDG. Outcome variables included weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) at the time of BDG and average daily weight gain between neonatal discharge and BDG.


RESULTS
Median age at the time of BDG was 5.1 months (range, 2.4-10 months), and median WAZ was -0.4 (range, -2.6 to 3.2) at neonatal admission and -1.3 (range, -3.9 to 0.6) at the time of BDG. Non-Caucasian infants (P=.03) and those with lower WAZ at neonatal discharge (P<.0001) had a lower WAZ at BDG. Being formula-fed at neonatal discharge (P=.04), and having higher mean pulmonary arterial pressure (P=.04) and systemic oxygen saturation (P=.006) were associated with lower average daily weight gain between neonatal discharge and BDG.


CONCLUSIONS
Infants with a single ventricle have poor weight gain between neonatal discharge and BDG. Non-Caucasian infants and those with evidence of increased pulmonary blood flow are at particular risk for growth failure.
Anderson
Jeffrey B
JB
Division of Cardiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. jeffrey.anderson@cchmc.org
Beekman
Robert H
RH
Eghtesady
Pirooz
P
Kalkwarf
Heidi J
HJ
Uzark
Karen
K
Kehl
Jack E
JE
Marino
Bradley S
BS
D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain