Nutritional Status and Pulmonary Hypertension in Children with Down Syndrome Presenting with Congenital Heart Disease: Retrospective Study

Introduction: Children with Down syndrome are predisposed to having congenital heart defect.

Objectives: This study is aimed to describe the clinical correlates, nutritional status and pulmonary hypertension in children with Down syndrome who presented with congenital heart disease.

Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of children with Down syndrome who presented with congenital heart disease from 2016 to 2020 was carried out. Nutritional status was assessed with WHO Anthro software while pulmonary hypertension was assessed with standard procedures.

Results: Out of 758 echocardiography done over the period of 5 years for children suspected of having cardiac disease, three hundred and eight one had confirmed congenital heart disease of which twenty-eight of them had Down syndrome 7.34% (28/381). Ten 10/28 (35.7%) of them had pulmonary hypertension. This is commonly noted among infants than older ages.

Among 28 children with Down syndrome, twenty-three had complete information for weight and height which was used to assess their nutritional status, 47.8% (11/28) presented with wasting and stunted, 8.7% (2/28) of those with Down syndrome were wasted and 8.7% (2/28) with stunting. Down syndrome is commoner in children with AV canal defect 50% (14/28) followed by PDA 21.4% (6/14). Fast breathing 86.7% (13/15) as the most common symptom followed by cough 64.3% (9/14)

Conclusion: Children with Down syndrome who had congenital heart disease are at increased risk of malnutrition and pulmonary hypertension.