title: Orthotopic liver transplantation reverses the adverse nutritional changes of end-stage liver disease in children.
abstract: The changes in growth and body composition after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were studied in 61 children [median age at OLT 3.49 y (range: 0.04-14.5 y), 26 boys and 35 girls] who had survived > or = 1 y post-OLT. Height, weight, midarm circumference (MAC), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), and subscapular skinfold thickness (SSF) were measured at OLT, 3 and 6 mo later, then annually up to 5 y. SD scores (SDS) were derived from population standards. Results are reported as mean SDS +/- SEM. At OLT the children were short and malnourished (height: -0.98 +/- 0.22; weight -0.82 +/- 0.18; MAC: -1.77 +/- 0.21; TSF: -1.27 +/- 0.17; SSF: -1.49 +/- 0.17). By 3 mo post-OLT, there was a sustained improvement in MAC (-0.73 +/- 0.22), TSF (-0.48 +/- 0.18), and SSF (-0.50 +/- 0.18). Weight SDS (-0.48 +/- 0.20) improved by 6 mo without significant change in height SDS. The three children with Alagille syndrome were smaller (height, weight, and MAC) than children with other diagnoses but did show catch-up growth. Fulminant hepatic failure was not associated with growth failure before or after OLT. Infants (n = 14) were smaller and more malnourished at OLT (smaller skinfold thicknesses and lower weight SDS) than those who received transplants at an older age. By 1 y post-OLT, the only persisting difference was in TSF. Abnormal liver function at 1 y post-OLT (n = 8) and repeated episodes of steroid-treated rejection (n = 13) were associated with worsening height and weight SDS. The use of tacrolimus for graft salvage from rejection (n = 6) was not associated with growth failure. In conclusion, end-stage liver disease has a more adverse effect on MAC, TSF, and SSF than on height and weight, but a marked and rapid improvement occurred post-OLT. Children who were most severely malnourished and growth restricted at the time of OLT showed the greatest catch-up growth after OLT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Broide
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Miell
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mowat
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mieli-Vergani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status