Improving Growth in Infants with Congenital Heart Disease
Infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) often face growth failure before surgery, which increases the risk of complications and lengthens paediatric intensive care unit stay (PICU-LOS). This article explores a consensus-based pre-operative nutritional pathway, designed to improve weight and height outcomes in infants with CHD and to reduce the impact of poor growth on clinical outcomes.
Why This Resource Matters for You as a Healthcare Professional
This study demonstrates that using a structured nutritional pathway, which includes weekly support from a dietitian, regular monitoring of weight gain, and the introduction of nutrient-energy dense feeds, can significantly:
- Improve weight-for-age and height-for-age z-scores.
- Reduce the prevalence of moderate malnutrition.
- Shorten PICU length of stay and duration of mechanical ventilation.
For HCPs, this resource offers practical insights into how a standardized, multidisciplinary nutrition approach can be integrated into daily clinical practice to support vulnerable infants and their families.
Download and Explore Further
Access this full article on Danone Nutricia Campus to review the evidence, practical strategies, and detailed outcomes of the nutritional pathway. The resource provides more in-depth information and data that can guide you in applying these findings in your clinical work to improve infant growth and recovery.
This publication is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, sharing, and adaptation with appropriate credit to the original authors.
