Cardiorespiratory parameters in infants cardiopathy: variations during feeding.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the variation of cardiorespiratory parameters in the feeding of cardiopathy infants.

METHODS: A cross-sectional, controlled study was performed on infants from 0 to 6 months of age, both genders, at a referral hospital for pediatric cardiac surgery. They were divided into a group study of infants with a medical diagnosis of congenital heart disease, post-cardiac surgery and in a control group composed of infants with no co-morbidities pre-established as risk factors for dysphagia. Vital signs monitoring and pulse oximetry were performed before, during and after clinical evaluation of swallowing in both groups.

RESULTS: There was a significant difference in heart rate between the two groups prior to the evaluation, however, a marked increase was observed in the study group during the oral route. The respiratory rate variation was significant during the maternal breast offer in the study group, which also showed a greater decrease in saturation when compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION: There is variation of cardiorespiratory parameters during feeding of cardiopathy infants.