title: Weight and height recovery in children with Down syndrome and congenital heart disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of congenital heart diseases in growth of children with Down syndrome (DS) and the weight-height recovery after surgical correction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of the DS patients between 1984 and 2007. Excluding the mosaics and/or patients with associated morbidities (n=165). Calculated Z scores for weight (Zwb) and length (Zlb) at birth. Those patients submitted to surgical correction (n= 60) these scores (Zw/Zh) were evaluated before surgery and in subsequent periods to five years. Malnutrition was defined as weight/height Z-score < 2.5. Used Chi-square test to verify the relation between weight/length and age at the time of surgery and Student T test to evaluate the postoperative (PO) time of recovery (P < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Means Zwb (n = 162) and Zlb (n = 156) were -0.95 ± 1.27 and -1.348 ± 1.02. From the total data (n = 165), 65.5% (n = 108) presented heart disease. Those submitted to cardiac surgery (n = 60), Zw was below -2.5 in 55% (n = 33) and Zh in 60% (n = 36). After six months PO, 67.4% achieved Zw > 2.5. In one year, 85.7% achieved Zh > 2.5. Dividing this group by age in tertiles at time of surgery no difference was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that malnutrition common in children with DS since birth. DS children with congenital heart and surgical indication were smaller and lighter than those without or with mild disease. PO recovery occurred in 6 months for weight and one year for height, with no difference in the age at the time of surgery.
authors: Department of Pediatrics at University of Taubaté, Brazil. njmbravo@cardiol.com.br
authors: Nathalie Jeanne Magioli
authors: NJ
authors: Bravo-Valenzuela
authors: Maria Lucia Bastos
authors: ML
authors: Passarelli
authors: Maria Veronica
authors: MV
authors: Coates
authors: Luiz Fernando Costa
authors: LF
authors: Nascimento
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D010331:Paternal Age; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome