title: Evolution of weight and height of children with congenital heart disease undergoing surgical treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the height and weight development of children with congenital heart disease undergoing surgery with the goal of determining when they reach the threshold of normal development and whether there are differences between patients with developmental pattern below the level of normality preoperatively (z-score<-2 for the analyzed parameter) in comparison to the total group of cardiac patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively followed up 27 children undergoing operation into five time periods: preoperatively and at four subsequent outpatient appointments: 1st month, 3rd month, 6th month and 12th month after hospital discharge. The anthropometric parameters used were median z-score (MZ), weight (WAZ), height (HAZ), subscapular skinfold (SSFAZ), upper arm circumference (UAC) and triceps skinfold (TSFAZ). The evolution assessment of the parameters was performed by analysis of variance and comparison with the general normal population from unpaired t test, both in the total group of cardiac patients, and in subgroups with preoperative parameters below the normal level (Zm<-2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the total group there was no significant evolution of MZ of all parameters. WAZ was statistically lower than the normal population until the 1st month of follow-up (P=0.028); HAZ only preoperatively (P=0.044), SSFAZ in the first month (P=0.015) and at 12th month (P=0.038), UAC and TSFAZ were always statistically equal to the general population. In patients whose development was below the level of normality, there were important variation of WAZ (P=0.002), HAZ (P=0.001) and UAC (P=0.031) after the operation, and the WAZ was lower than the normal population until the 3rd month (P=0.015); HAZ and UAC, until the first month (P=0.024 and P=0.039 respectively), SSFAZ, up to the 12th month (P=0.005), the TSFAZ only preoperatively (P=0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The operation promoted the return to normalcy for those with heart disease in general within up to three months, but for the group of patients below normal developmental pattern of the return occurred within 12 months.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP.
authors.forename: Murilo Bertazzo
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP.
authors.forename: Ulisses Alexandre
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Croti
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP.
authors.forename: Moacir Fernandes de
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP.
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: De Marchi
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP.
authors.forename: Sírio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hassem Sobrinho
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP.
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beani
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP.
authors.forename: Airton Camacho
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Moscardini
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP.
authors.forename: Domingo Marcolino
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Braile
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*