Background and objectives: Growth failure is common among children with congenital heart disease (CHD). This study aimed at the assessment of the effect of therapeutic cardiac catheterization on the growth status of children with CHD.

Patients and Method: This was a prospective observational study conducted at pediatric cardiac catheterization unit-Sohag university hospital, from October-2016 to September-2017, on children with congenital acyanotic heart diseases who were admitted for therapeutic cardiac catheterization. We assessed the growth parameters as a weight for age Z-score (WAZ), height for age Z-score (HAZ), body mass index and upper arm circumference before catheterization, at one month, three months and six months after catheterization. The growth status was considered normal when WAZ and HAZ were from < +2 SD to > -2 SD, underweight if WAZ was ≤ -2 SD and stunting if HAZ was ≤ -2 SD.

Results: One-hundred and two children with congenital acyanotic heart diseases were included. The mean age was 3.95 ±3.11 years. Sixty participants(58.8%) were females. Before catheterization,70 patients (68.6%) had normal growth status, 20 patients (19.6%) had underweight and 19 patients (18.6%) had stunting. The prevalence of underweight significantly diminished to3.92% (p < 0.001) at the 6th month after catheterization. However, no significant differences in the prevalence of stunting were found during the follow-up period.

Conclusion: Therapeutic cardiac catheterization had a significantly positive impact on weight gain shortly after catheterization. However, improvement in the height could not be detected in the first 6 months after catheterization and longer follow-up periods are required.