Associations Between Anthropometric Growth Patterns and Feeding Complexity with Readmission Following Primary Palatoplasty
Bo Hyun Kong, Katherine Dillon, Colin M Brady, Stefanie E Hush, June Ridgeway, Sara Gomez, Magdalena Soldanska, Joseph K Williams, Kazlin N MasonObjective
To evaluate whether preoperative anthropometric measures and feeding-related variables are associated with readmission following primary palatoplasty.
Design
Retrospective cohort study
Setting
Tertiary pediatric craniofacial center.
Participants
Infants undergoing primary palatoplasty between 2015 and 2022 with documented weight-for-age (WAZ) and height-for-age (HAZ) z scores.
Main Outcome Measures
Readmission within 30 days of primary palatoplasty. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated associations with anthropometric, demographic, and feeding-related covariates.
Results
Among 282 patients, 43 (15.2%) experienced 30-day readmission. Higher WAZ was associated with increased odds of readmission (OR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.23–2.84;
Conclusions
Higher WAZ, lower HAZ, and concentrated formula use were associated with readmission following primary palatoplasty with similar anthropometric associations observed among patients without a syndromic diagnosis and for nutrition- or feeding-related readmissions. Anthropometric variables should be interpreted alongside the feeding and nutritional support required during surgical preparation and may help identify patients requiring closer perioperative feeding surveillance.