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The utility of guaiac stool testing in the detection of gastrointestinal complications in infants with critical congenital heart disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2019

Melanie Muller ,
Cortney Foster ,
Jessica Lee ,
Caroline Bauer ,
Casey Bor ,
Leahandra Buck ,
Faith Hicks ,
Jenni Day ,
Dayanand Bagdure  and
Adrian Holloway
...Show all authors
Melanie Muller*
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Cortney Foster
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Jessica Lee
Affiliation:
University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Caroline Bauer
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Casey Bor
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Leahandra Buck
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
Faith Hicks
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
Jenni Day
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
Dayanand Bagdure
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Adrian Holloway
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Alicia Chaves
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Pediatric Cardiology, Baltimore, MD, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Melanie Muller, University of Maryland Medical Center, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201. Tel: 1-4103286957; Fax: 1-4103288851.E-mail: mmuller@som.umaryland.edu
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Abstract

Background:

Guaiac stool testing has been routinely used as a method to detect gastrointestinal complications in infants with critical congenital heart disease (CHD); however, the sensitivity and specificity have not been established.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review was performed investigating the presence of heme-positive stools and subsequent gastrointestinal complications as well as time to goal caloric intake and radiograph exposure.

Results:

The presence of heme-positive stools was not a statistically significant factor in patients with critical CHD that experienced gastrointestinal complications. Additionally, patients with heme-positive stools did undergo more abdominal X-rays than those with heme-negative stools.

Conclusions:

The routine use of guaiac stool testing in infants with critical CHD is not a predictor of possible gastrointestinal complications and leads to more radiograph exposure for the patient. Close clinical monitoring can be used to evaluate feeding tolerance in infants with critical CHD.

Keywords

Necrotising enterocolitiscongenital heart diseaseguaiac stools
Type
Original Article
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 29 , Issue 5 , May 2019 , pp. 655 - 659
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2019 

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