Postoperative growth and development assessment for infants with congenital intestinal atresia

Abstract

Purpose: This study intended to assess the postoperative growth and development of infants with congenital intestinal atresia (IA) and to explore growth-associated factors. Methods: The data of 131 infants with congenital IA who were cured, discharged, and followed up in the outpatient clinic from May 2011 to August 2021 in the Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital were acquired. The data included prenatal color Doppler results, gestational week, gender, birth weight, IA type, atresia distal/proximal intestine diameter ratio, IA location, with or without ileocecal junction resection, remaining small intestine length, with or without meconium peritonitis, etc. According to the World Health Organization Child Growth Standards (2006), the growth and development of IA infants were assessed using age-specific height and weight. Stunting was defined as age-specific height and (or) weight 2 standard deviations (SD) below the median of the standard, and the cases were divided into normal and growth-retarded groups for comparison and analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0. Results: There were 83 males and 48 females in the 131 IA infants. 4 cases had age-specific weight and height <-2 SD, 2 cases had age-specific weight <-2 SD, and 6 had age-specific height <-2 SD. Hence, the growth-retarded group (n=12) accounted for 9.2% of all cases, and the normal group (n=119) accounted for 90.8%. Further analysis of clinical data showed that infants in the growth-retarded group had smaller birth weights (P < 0.05). The two groups had significantly distinct atresia locations (P < 0.05), and infants with duodenal atresia and jejunal atresia within 30 cm of the ligament of Treitz had a significantly higher incidence of growth retardation than infants with jejunal atresia >30 cm beyond the ligament of Treitz (P < 0.016667). No significant difference was observed in other factors between the two groups. Conclusion: Some infants were stunted after IA surgery, and birth weight and atresia location were the two factors affecting their growth and development. Moreover, long-term follow-up and prompt nutritional instructions are required for those infants.