Table 1 Congenital/neonatal and parent characteristics in children with delayed compared to primary reconstruction of esophageal atresia
|  | Children aged 2–7 years: n(%) | Children aged 8–18 years: n(%) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Child charateristics | ntot | Delayed reconstruction | ntot | Primary anastomosis | p-value | ntot | Delayed reconstruction | ntot | Primary anastomosis | p-value |
Child gender male | 8 | 5 (62.5) | 42 | 27 (64.3) | 1.0 | 22 | 10 (45.5) | 64 | 34 (53.1) | 0.62 |
Gestational age weeks, median (range) | 8 | 36 (26–37) | 42 | 37 (31–41) | 0.096 | 22 | 36 (24–40) | 62 | 38 (28–43) | 0.002 |
Prematurely born (< 37 gestational weeks at birth) | 8 | 5 (62.5) | 42 | 19 (45.2) | 0.46 | 22 | 13 (59.1) | 62 | 17 (27.4) | 0.010 |
Birth weight grams, median (range) | 8 | 2202 (590- 2855) | 41 | 2653 (1614–4260) | 0.014 | 22 | 2312 (525–3225) | 62 | 2720 (1070–3390) | 0.030 |
Low birth weight (< 2500 g at birth) | 8 | 7 (87.5) | 41 | 21 (51.2) | 0.12 | 22 | 13 (59.1) | 62 | 18 (29.5) | 0.020 |
Gross type esophageal atresia | 8 | A = 3 (37.5) B = 1 (12.5) C = 4 (50.0) | 42 | C = 42 (100) | – | 22 | A = 9( 40.9) B = 7( 31.8) C = 6 (27.3) | 64 | C = 64 (100) | – |
Associated anomaliesa | 8 | 8 (100) | 42 | 24 (57.1) | 0.039 | 22 | 12 (54.5) | 64 | 39 (60.9) | 0.62 |
 Cardiovascular | 8 | 5 (62.5) | 42 | 9 (21.4) | 0.030 | 22 | 5 (22.7) | 64 | 22 (34.4) | 0.43 |
 Anorectal | 8 | 2 (25.0) | 42 | 6 (14.3) | 0.60 | 22 | 5 (22.7) | 64 | 4 (6.3) | 0.044 |
 Urogenital | 8 | 4 (50.0) | 42 | 4 (9.5) | 0.016 | 22 | 7 (31.8) | 64 | 8 (12.5) | 0.053 |
 VACTERL associationb | 8 | 3 (37.5) | 42 | 6 (14.3) | 0.14 | 22 | 3 (13.6) | 64 | 11 (17.2) | 1.0 |
Verified genetic disorder | 8 | 1 (12.5) | 42 | 3(7.1) | 0.51 | 22 | 4 (18.2) | 64 | 7 (10.9) | 0.46 |
Reason for delayed reconstruction | ||||||||||
Initital gap length, median cm (range) | 3 | 4 (2–7) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Initital gap length, median vertebral bodies (range) | 3 | 4 (3.5–4) |  |  |  | 19 | 4 (2–6)c |  |  |  |
Degree of prematurity, median (range) | 2 | 29 (26–31) |  |  |  | 3 | 29 (24–30) |  |  |  |
Characteristics of parent acting as proxy | ||||||||||
Parent respondent mother | 8 | 5 (62.5) | 42 | 37 (88.1) | 0.11 | 22 | 18 (81.8) | 63 | 56 (88.9) | 0.46 |
Parental age median (range | 8 | 40 (35–47) | 42 | 37 (26–46) | 0.09 | 22 | 46 (33–58) | 63 | 44 (33–69) | 0.26 |
Cohabitant partner | 7 | 6 (85.7) | 42 | 38 (90.5) | 0.55 | 22 | 21 (91.5) | 63 | 50 (79.4) | 0.10 |
University/College education | 8 | 4 (50.0) | 42 | 23 (54.8) | 1.0 | 22 | 13 (59.1) | 63 | 31 (49.2) | 0.47 |