Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand Vol 94, No 8:AUGUST 2011 (SUPPL.3) 0125-2208 94 8 2011 Aug Nutritional Status of Pediatric Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: Pre- and Post Cardiac Surgery 133 EN Suntaree Ratanachu-ek Aujjimavadee Pongdara Original Article To evaluate the impact of cardiac surgery on nutritional status of pediatric patients with CHD. A prospective cohort study was conducted in pediatric patients with CHD, admitted for cardiacsurgery at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (QSNICH), Bangkok, from August 1st, 2002 to 2003. Demographicdata, cardiac and related problems were obtained before operation. Anthropometry was performed at the presentation andpost cardiac surgery. Nutritional status was assessed by Z-score of weight for age (ZWA), weight for height (ZWH) and heightfor age (ZHA). Malnutrition was defined as Z-score <- 2 and compared pre- and post-operation using Chi-square. Paired ttestwas used to compare mean Z-score and p-value < 0.05 was statistically significant. All of 161 pediatric patients with CHD undergoing cardiac surgery were 41% males and 59% females. Patients’ ageranged from 1 month to 15 years. The related problems included low birth weight (28%) and feeding problem (58%). Themost common CHD was ventricular septal defect (29%). The nutritional status of the patients before surgery was defined asnormal 57%, malnutrition 40% and over-nutrition 3%. Malnutrition included underweight 28%, wasting 22% and stunting16%. Post cardiac surgery, the means of ZWA, ZWH and ZHA were significantly increased and the prevalence of underweightand wasting were decreased to 17% and 6% respectively, with statistically significant from the baseline (p < 0.05). Malnutrition was found in 40% of pediatric patients with CHD and cardiac surgery has a significant positiveeffect on weight gain and nutritional status. Congenital heart disease Cardiac surgery Nutritional status Malnutrition