Who was in the study?

Hospitalized infants with single ventricle physiology who were >37 weeks gestation and <30 days of age who were hemodynamically stable following Norwood procedure with closed chests.

What happened during the study?

This study included:

1. Medical History: Each baby’s medical chart was reviewed to collect information about surgeries, medical procedures, weights and measurements, and feedings.
2. Exercise Program: Each baby received 10-15 minutes of gentle exercise each day for as long as he or she was in the hospital or for a maximum of 21 days from a trained expert familiar with handling babies who have had surgery.
3. Body Measurements: Each baby’s weight was collected from the chart during the hospital stay. In addition, each baby was weighed and measured by the researchers at 3 time points:
   1. Two weeks after beginning the program
   2. After the 21 days of the exercise program or at hospital discharge, whichever came first
   3. Three months of age

What were the results of the study?

In this pilot study, we found that the exercise program was safe and feasible. There was some evidence that the babies grew better when compared to babies with the same heart defect in another study. A larger randomized controlled trial is being planned to further compare the growth of babies who do and do not receive this exercise program.