Catch-up growth in children after repair of Tetralogy of Fallot.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the growth of children after repair of Tetralogy of Fallot, as well as the influence of residual lesions and socio-economic status.


METHODS
A total of 17 children, including 10 boys with a median age of 16 months at surgery, were enrolled in a retrospective cohort, in a tertiary care university hospital. Anthropometric (as z-scores), clinical, nutritional, and social data were collected.


RESULTS
Weight-for-age and weight-for-height z-scores decreased pre-operatively and recovered post-operatively in almost all patients, most markedly weight for age. Weight-for-height z-scores improved, but were still lower than birth values in the long term. Long-term height-for-age z-scores were higher than those at birth, surgery, and 3 months post-operatively. Most patients showed catch-up growth for height for age (70%), weight for age (82%), and weight for height (70%). Post-operative residual lesions (76%) influenced weight-for-age z-scores. Despite the fact that most patients (70%) were from low-income families, energy intake was above the estimated requirement for age and gender in all but one patient. There was no influence of socio-economic status on pre- and post-operative growth. Bone age was delayed and long-term-predicted height was within mid-parental height limits in 16 children (93%).


CONCLUSIONS
Children submitted to Tetralogy of Fallot repair had pre-operative acute growth restriction and showed post-operative catch-up growth for weight and height. Acute growth restriction could still be present in the long term.
Department of Paediatrics, Hospital das Clinicas of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. carmona@fmrp.usp.br
Fabio
F
Carmona
Lucas S
LS
Hatanaka
Marco A
MA
Barbieri
Heloisa
H
Bettiol
Roseli B D
RB
Toffano
Jacqueline P
JP
Monteiro
Paulo H
PH
Manso
Ana P C P
AP
Carlotti
D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000601:surgery*