29 Jul 2025 • In preterm infants (<37 weeks) undergoing surgery for critical congenital heart disease, preoperative malnutrition proved a key determinant of outcomes.

Key Findings:

• Nearly 39% had extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR), linked to low birth weight (BWZ OR 0.041) and delayed surgery (OR 1.076).
• These infants endured longer fasting (5.3 vs. 3.9 days), extended hospital stays (43 vs. 32 days), and lower discharge weight, with 38% still malnourished at 2 years.

Mortality was 14.4% (11.9% in-hospital), underscoring the need for aggressive prenatal and postnatal nutrition strategies to improve survival and growth.

Source: BMC Pediatrics | Read Full Story