Malnutrition in hospitalized children with congenital heart disease

Article Abstract:

Malnutrition appears to be common among children and young adults hospitalized for congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease has long been known to result in malnutrition. Researchers evaluated the nutritional status of 150 cardiac patients at a children's hospital who ranged in age from newborn to 24 years. Overall, one-third had acute malnutrition, meaning reduced weight for height measurements, although most cases were mild to moderate. Nearly two-thirds showed chronic malnutrition, meaning reduced height for age. Seventy-nine percent of infants were acutely malnourished compared with less than 30% of older patients. Over 80% of infants and toddlers were chronically malnourished versus 61% of older patients. The percentage of both acutely and chronically malnourished patients varied according to the severity of their heart problem and according to whether the patient was experiencing congestive heart failure or was cyanotic. No patient who was neither cyanotic nor in congestive heart failure had more than mild malnutrition.

Health aspects, Congenital heart defects, Congenital heart disease in children

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Malnutrition in hospitalized pediatric patients: current prevalence

Article Abstract:

Malnutrition continues to be a problem in hospitalized children. Researchers collected data on nutritional status and other factors for 268 patients at a children's hospital on a single day in 1992. Three-quarters of the group had been hospitalized for chronic conditions, 17% for acute conditions, and 9% for nonurgent reasons. Data were compared with data taken at the same hospital in 1976. For acute malnutrition, which was defined as a reduction in weight for height, 3% were acutely malnourished in 1976 versus 1% in 1992, 14% versus 6% were moderately malnourished, 16% versus 17% were mildly malnourished and 66% versus 76% were not malnourished. For chronic malnutrition, which was defined as a reduction in height for age, percentages with severe or moderate malnutrition were similar. However, 30% in 1976 versus 15% in 1992 were mildly malnourished, and 53% versus 73% were not malnourished.

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Effects of providing comprehensive ambulatory services to children with chronic conditions

Article Abstract:

A comprehensive program that provides ambulatory care for children with chronic medical conditions could be extremely cost-effective. In 1985, a children's hospital in Rochester, NY, contracted with a regional insurance company to fund such a program for children with chronic conditions. By 1995, fewer children were being admitted to the hospital, the average length of stay had dropped from 83.9 days to 10.6 days and the average annual hospital charge dropped from $26.1 million to $14.6 million. The savings from the program exceeded the insurance company's costs by a factor of 21.

Care and treatment, Economic aspects, Chronic diseases, Pediatric diseases, Ambulatory medical care, Ambulatory care, Chronic diseases in children

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