Physiological cost index: comparison between repaired congenital heart disease and healthy children

Abstract

Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) have compromised physiological function compared to normal with the same age and anthropometric measure. Physiologic cost index (PCI) calculated the energy expenditure and gives an idea about the same during walking. So the present observational study calculates the energy expenditure in repaired congenital heart disease patient and provides the baseline for a goal to achieve during any rehabilitation program by comparing with the normal. To compare the PCI between repaired congenital heart disease patients and healthy children. The study design is observational. Total 40 participants were selected as per the criteria for inclusion and exclusion i.e. 20 healthy children and 20 with repaired congenital heart disease. Duration of the study will be for six months. The six-minute walk was performed according to guidelines, and PCI was calculated using the Macgregor’s formula. In all the variables found of 6MWT, statically significant difference was seen. The mean values for PCI for repaired CHD group was 13.84 and for normal children it was 8.6 using the unpaired T test p value was found to be p=0.0001 which is statically significant. We can conclude that the energy expenditure in children with repaired congenital heart disease is more as compared to the normal children with similar age group. PCI can be used as an effective tool for a physiotherapist in assessment and evaluation of functional performance and provide the baseline for repaired CHD children