To investigate the associations between inflammatory markers and the risk of paediatric feeding disorders (PFD) at 1 year of age in infants with congenital gastrointestinal malformations (CGMs).
Neonates with CGMs admitted to our NICU and prospectively followed up in our outpatient clinic were included. The presence of PFD was assessed at the 1-year visit using the Montreal Children's Hospital Feeding Scale (MCH-FS). Data on potential risk factors for PFD were retrospectively collected.
Fifty-nine neonates were included. They had a median MCH-FS at 1 year of 25 [IQR = 19-37]. PFD (MCH-FS > 45) was diagnosed in 15% of cases, of which 56% were severe. The number of days with a C-reactive protein (CRP) level > 40 mg/L was significantly higher in the PFD patients. After adjusting for confounding factors, a duration of CRP > 40 mg/L remained significantly associated with PFD at 1 year (OR = 1.23, [1.02-1.47]). Similarly, the number of neonatal surgical procedures (OR = 11.4, [2.15-60.6]) was independently associated with PFD at 1 year.
PFD at 1 year was observed in 15% of newborns with CGMs in our cohort. Our results suggest that sustained severe inflammation caused by surgery and its complications during the neonatal period may have long-term effects on feeding behaviour.