• Garick D Hill, Alan H Silverman, Richard J Noel, Pippa M Simpson, Julie Slicker, Ann E Scott, and Peter J Bartz.
• Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. Electronic address: GHill@chw.org.
• J. Pediatr. 2014 Feb 1; 164 (2): 243-6.e1.

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of feeding dysfunction in children with single ventricle defects and identify associated risk factors.Study DesignPatients aged 2-6 years with single ventricle physiology presenting for routine cardiology follow-up at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin were prospectively identified. Parents of the patients completed 2 validated instruments for assessment of feeding dysfunction. Chart review was performed to retrospectively obtain demographic and diagnostic data.ResultsInstruments were completed for 56 patients; median age was 39 months. Overall, 28 (50%) patients had some form of feeding dysfunction. Compared with a normal reference population, patients with single ventricle had statistically significant differences in dysfunctional food manipulation (P < .001), mealtime aggression (P = .002), choking/gagging/vomiting (P < .001), resistance to eating (P < .001), and parental aversion to mealtime (P < .001). Weight and height for age z-scores were significantly lower in subjects with feeding dysfunction (-0.84 vs -0.33; P < .05 and -1.46 vs -0.56; P = .001, respectively). Multivariable analysis identified current gastrostomy tube use (P = .02) and a single parent household (P = .01) as risk factors for feeding dysfunction.ConclusionFeeding dysfunction is common in children with single ventricle defects, occurring in 50% of our cohort. Feeding dysfunction is associated with worse growth measures. Current gastrostomy tube use and a single parent household were identified as independent risk factors for feeding dysfunction.Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

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