Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Response to Supplementation as “Stoss Therapy” in Children with Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Open Heart Surgery

Background Data from many studies suggest that patients with congenital heart disease are vitamin D (vitD) deficient. Following cardiac surgery as a result of intraoperative institution of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), serum vitD levels become even low. This may affect postoperative convalescence in terms of mechanical ventilation, inotropic support, infection, and so forth. Objective We intended to study the prevalence of vitD deficiency pre and post cardiac surgery and the effect of vitD supplementation (stoss therapy) on postoperative convalescence of the children with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) undergoing intracardiac repair (ICR). Methodology In this randomized controlled trial (RCT), 60 children younger than 18 years with TOF and serum vitD levels < 20ng/dL were randomized into two groups. The study group received vitD supplementation as “stoss therapy” at 10,000 units/kg body weight. All these children underwent ICR with CPB. Demographic data, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were compared between the study and the control groups. Results Prevalence of severe vitD deficiency was 93.1%. When compared with the control group, study group showed higher serum vitD levels in the immediate preoperative period (p = 0.001), postoperative period following CPB (p = 0.012), and on the first postoperative day (p = 0.003). No statistically significant difference was observed in postoperative mechanical ventilation (p = 0.35), intensive care unit (ICU) stay (p = 0.15), and inotropic duration (p = 0.19). Conclusion Children with TOF are highly deficient of vitD, its level falls further after CPB, and supplementing vitD preoperatively does not influence postoperative recovery pattern. Supplementation of vitD as “stoss therapy” was useful in raising the serum levels before and after cardiac surgery.