Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction in children: anthropometry, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor I.
BACKGROUND
Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction has been shown to cause growth retardation in children, though literature is scant. No information is available regarding the cause of growth retardation in these patients.


METHODS
To document the presence of growth retardation in this disease, we studied growth and nutrition in 33 consecutive prepubertal patients. Anthropometry, fasting growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor I levels were compared in 22 well-nourished patients from this group with 35 age-matched well-nourished controls.


RESULTS
Mean +/- SD height standard deviation score of well-nourished patients (-1.88 +/- 1.33) was significantly below that of the controls (-1.06 +/- 0.64, p < 0.01). Patients also had significantly lower midarm muscle circumference z scores (-2.65 +/- 1.09) than controls (-1.17 +/- 1.09, p < 0.0001), though triceps skinfold thickness z scores were comparable in the two groups (-1.06 +/- 0.68 vs -1.24 +/- 0.79, p = NS). Insulin-like growth factor I z scores were significantly lower in patients (-1.48 +/- 0.88) than in controls (-0.49 +/- 1.09, p < 0.001), whereas basal growth hormone was significantly higher in patients (4.60 +/- 3.70 mIU/L) compared with controls (2.66 +/- 0.82, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction in children leads to growth retardation. Anthropometric and preliminary hormonal evaluation suggest resistance to the action of growth hormone as a possible mechanism.
Mehrotra
R N
RN
Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
Bhatia
V
V
Dabadghao
P
P
Yachha
S K
SK
D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011169:Portal Vein; D012016:Reference Values; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*
D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I