We thought of assessing the prevalence and predictors of feeding disorders in patients with congenital heart defects after neonatal cardiac surgery.

Retrospective study of 82 consecutive neonates (48 males, 34 females) who underwent surgery for congenital heart defects from 1999 to 2002. Information was taken from patient charts and nursing notes. The presence of a feeding disorder was assessed by a questionnaire sent to the paediatricians when the child was 2 years of age. A feeding disorder was defined as a need for tube feeding, inadequate food intake for age, or failure to thrive. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics and logistic regression.

Feeding disorders occurred in 22% of the study population. Reoperation and early feeding disorders were identified as independent risk factors for later feeding disorders (odds ratio 5.8, p 0.01; odds ratio 20.7, p 0.02). There was a trend towards more feeding disorders in patients with neurological abnormalities during the first hospital stay.

Feeding disorder is a frequent, long-term sequela after neonatal cardiac surgery. Patients with congenital heart defects who undergo multiple cardiac surgeries and those with early feeding disorders are at risk of developing later feeding disorders. Patients with these risk factors need to be selected for preventive strategies.