The effect of vitamin D levels on clinical outcomes after pediatric open-heart surgery

Objectives: Congenital heart disease is a massive structural abnormality in the heart or large vessels inside the chest that is potentially important. Vitamin D is essential for the recovery of organs. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of serum vitamin D levels on clinical outcomes after pediatric open-heart surgery. Recent studies in infants have shown that vitamin D deficiency and hypocalcemia are associated with heart shock. Methods: The following descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Cardiology Unit of Shahid Faghihi Hospital in Shiraz from April ۲۰۲۱ to October ۲۰۲۲, involving ۱۱۵ patients aged one to seven years old. Serum levels of vitamin D were measured to evaluate the correlation between vitamin D levels and postoperative clinical outcomes. Data was gathered using SPSS.v۱۶ software and analyzed through statistical tests. Results: The mean age of the patients in this study was ۲۹.۲۰± ۵۳.۱۰ months. The average vitamin D level of the patients was ۲۴.۵۲± ۱۰.۳ ng/ml. The study's findings indicated that infants eligible for heart surgery with normal vitamin D levels had significantly shorter durations of Inotropes, ventilators, chest tubes, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay (P<۰.۰۰۱). Conclusions: Decreased vitamin D levels in children with abnormal vitamin D can delay the improvement of heart and myocardial function and increase the use of inotropes, ventilators, and chest tubes. It also increases the number of days hospitalized in the ICU after Cardio Pulmonary Bypass (CPB) surgery.