Prevalence and patterns of malnutrition in children with congenital heart disease: a cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/yagr6z91Keywords:
congenital heart disease, malnutrition, pediatric nutrition, cyanotic heart disease, anthropometry, growth failureAbstract
Background
Malnutrition frequently complicates congenital heart disease (CHD) during early childhood because of increased energy expenditure, feeding difficulty, recurrent respiratory illness, and delayed corrective treatment.
Objectives
To determine the prevalence and patterns of malnutrition among children aged 6 months to 5 years with echocardiographically confirmed CHD and to compare severe malnutrition between cyanotic and acyanotic lesions.
Methods
This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 257 children admitted to a tertiary care pediatric department in North Maharashtra over two years. Demographic and clinical data were recorded, cardiac lesions were classified by echocardiography, and weight, length/height, head circumference, and mid-upper arm circumference were assessed using standard procedures. Nutritional status was classified with World Health Organization and Indian Academy of Pediatrics growth references. Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test.
Results
The mean age was 2.3 years; 176 children (68.5%) were male. Ventricular septal defect was the predominant lesion, affecting 138 (53.7%) children. Overall malnutrition was identified in 154 (59.9%) participants, including mild-to-moderate malnutrition in 89 (34.6%) and severe malnutrition in 65 (25.3%). Chronic malnutrition was documented in 174 (67.7%) children. Severe malnutrition was substantially more frequent in cyanotic CHD than in acyanotic CHD (60.5% versus 19.2%).
Conclusion
Malnutrition represents a major comorbidity among young children with CHD, with the greatest burden in cyanotic lesions.
Recommendations
Nutritional screening should be integrated into every pediatric cardiology encounter, followed by individualized energy-dense feeding, micronutrient support, close growth surveillance, and timely referral for definitive cardiac intervention.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Vaibhav Gode, Dr. Priyanka Halde (Author)
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