{
  "abstract": "Congenital heart disease is the most prevalent birth defect in the UK 1 significantly impacting growth and nutritional status in affected children.1–3 The Cardiac Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) Feeding clinic comprises gastroenterology, Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) and dieticians. It employs a multidisciplinary approach to enhance oral feeding, growth and nutrition in children with congenital cardiac disease.The aim of this study was to assess outcomes of children attending the Cardiac MDT feeding clinic between 2015 and 2023 with focus on oral feeding status and growth.A retrospective study was conducted, analysing data of the 200 children attending this clinic from 2015–2023. Patients were identified from hospital record systems with records reviewed for PEG status, feeding regimens (including oral intake), medications and growth measurements using WHO growth charts. Centile trajectories for height and weight were calculated.145 (73%) required PEG or PEG-J feeding, mostly due to long-term NG tube dependence (66%). Other reasons included feeding difficulties (20%) and unsafe swallow (19%). The median age of PEG insertion was 7.6 months (range 0.25–3.69). The median age for the first clinic was 7.9 months (range 0.10–7.16). 10 children (5%) died. 53 (27%) had a sole cardiac diagnosis.Abstract OC16 Table 1Comorbidities of patients attending the clinic Co-morbidity Number of patients (N) Neurological 22 (11%) Surgical/Anatomical 60 (30%) Behavioural 15 (8%) Genetic/Chromosomal 77 (39%) Other 52 (26%) 122 (61%) children were prescribed anti-reflux medication at first clinic attendance compared with 75 children (38%) on their last. The most prescribed anti-reflux medication was omeprazole with 72 children (59% of those prescribed anti-reflux medication) prescribed this at first clinic attendance and 50 (67%) at the last.At last follow-up, 94 (65%) patients had a PEG with 76 (81%) using it for feeding, and 14 (10%) patients had a PEG-J. 4 (19%) with a PEG used it for medication only or did not use the PEG. 109 (75%) were able to establish some level of oral feeding with 17 (39%) of these previously PEG-fed patients achieving oral feeding exclusively. 27 (14%) children with a PEG in situ used sole PEG or PEG-J feeds.120 children (60%) showed an increase in centile change for weight and 100 (50%) for length. Only 21(11%) children recorded a decrease in weight centile and 28 (14%) height. All children with a decrease in weight had a PEG placed at some point as did 26 (93%) of those with a drop in height centile, with 5 (10%) of children in this group dying during the study. There was no gender difference in centile change during this time (p>0.1).Most children previously PEG-fed were established on some level of oral feeding, and, in a significant number of patients, their growth was optimised too. Limitations exist due to those lost to follow-up. Centile data is also influenced by other factors, including other co-morbidities.4 5 Further research to assess the impact of improvement in cardiac status and how this relates to success in oral feeding in this patient cohort would be beneficial.References G S, DU DR, AC M, et al. Current strategies to optimize nutrition and growth in newborns and infants with congenital heart disease: a narrative review. Journal of Clinical Medicine 2022.KI M, JH K, KF, et al. Nutritional Considerations for the Neonate With Congenital Heart Disease. [Available from: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/Supplement%202/e2022056415G/189883/Nutritional-Considerations-for-the-Neonate-With?autologincheck=redirected.]Norris MK, Hill CS. Nutritional issues in infants and children with congenital heart disease. 1994.Eveleth PB, Tanner JM. Worldwide variation in human growth. Cambridge University Press. 1990.Benyi E, Sävendahl L. The Physiology of Childhood Growth: Hormonal Regulation.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Hull University Teaching Hospitals Trust"
      ],
      "name": "Olivia Brady"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital",
        "Alderhey Children’s Hospital Trust Liverpool"
      ],
      "name": "Sian Copley"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Wirral University Teaching Hospital Foundation trust"
      ],
      "name": "Orla McDaid"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alderhey Children’s Hospital Trust Liverpool"
      ],
      "name": "Marcus Auth"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alderhey Children’s Hospital Trust Liverpool"
      ],
      "name": "Wendy Blumenow"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alderhey Children’s Hospital Trust Liverpool"
      ],
      "name": "Alice Sutton"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alderhey Children’s Hospital Trust Liverpool"
      ],
      "name": "Fiona Cameron"
    }
  ],
  "title": "OC16 Growth and long-term outcomes of children attending specialist multi-disciplinary cardiac feeding clinic at a tertiary centre between 2015–2023",
  "uid": "fad2f9ff-93da-53a1-8043-331e4024a65e"
}