Determinants of body weight gain and association with neurodevelopmental outcome in infants operated for congenital heart disease

a Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland b Department of Pediatrics, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland c Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland d Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland e Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland f Division of Cardiac Surgery, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland *Corresponding author. Tel.: +41 44 266 7617; fax: +41 44 266 7981. E-mail address : walter.knirsch{at}kispi.uzh.ch (W. Knirsch). The aim of this prospective study was to examine the determinants of growth failure and the association with neurodevelopmental outcome in infants undergoing open-heart surgery. In 107 infants undergoing open-heart surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD), we evaluated weight at birth, at surgery, and at one year of age (expressed as z-scores). Neurodevelopmental status was assessed before surgery and at one year of age. Median age at surgery was 3.9 months (range: 0.1–10.2). Mean [±standard deviation (S.D.)] weight z-score at birth was –0.27 (±1.45), before surgery –1.34 (±1.45) ( P