Post-transplantation growth among pediatric recipients of liver transplantation

Pediatr Transplant. 2005 Aug;9(4):480-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3046.2005.00326.x.

Abstract

Improving a patient's quality-of-life (QOL) post-liver transplantation is of great importance. An aspect of improved QOL is the restoration of normal growth patterns in pediatric patients. To describe the post-transplantation growth patterns of 72 children included in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - Liver Transplantation Database (NIDDK-LTD), multilevel models were used, according to which children who waited more than a year for transplantation were smaller, compared with age and sex matched peers, at transplantation than children who waited less than a year while children who were growth retarded at transplantation experienced a larger yearly comparison height increase than children who were not growth retarded. The analysis also showed that boys older than 2 yr and younger than 13 yr at transplantation and girls older than 2 yr and younger than 11 yr at transplantation were significantly less growth retarded at transplantation than boys and girls under the age of 2 yr at transplantation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Body Height
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Child Development*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Growth Disorders / etiology*
  • Growth Disorders / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Infant
  • Liver Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies
  • Quality of Life
  • Risk Factors
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Waiting Lists