Anthropometric Assessment of Nutritional Status of Children With
Abstract
Worldwide, congenital heart disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children being accountable for about one-third of all congenital defects. Malnutrition is known to be prevalent in this group of children owing to a multiplicity of factors. In this environment, because of the underlying burden of malnutrition, children with congenital heart disease may be more predisposed to malnutrition than in other climes. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of children with congenital heart disease using anthropometric indices and to compare them with healthy age and sexmatched controls to elucidate possible factors influencing their nutritional status. Anthropometric indices of children with congenital heart disease and healthy age and sex-matched controls were taken. WHO and CDC charts were used to assess their nutritional status and subsequently, both groups were compared statistically. Two hundred and thirty children were recruited into the study, 115 each to the study and control groups, respectively. Underweight, stunting and wasting were present in 45.3%, 46.1% and 33% of the children with congenital heart disease compared to 5.2%, 7.8% and 3.5% respectively in the control group and these differences were statistically significant p<0.001. The presence of multiple lesions and ventricular septal defects were significant predictors of malnutrition in children with congenital heart disease. Malnutrition is significantly more common in children with congenital heart disease when compared to normal controls.