[Chronic renal insufficiency and growth retardation: not an inseparable binomial].
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to evaluate, in children with chronic renal failure and in conservative treatment, the degree to which their growth was compromised, in relation with bone age and with GRF.


METHODS
The growth of children (12 F, 14 M) with CRI has been evaluated retrospectively in relation to bone age and GFR. Their mean age at diagnosis was 5.8 years. The pathologies-causing CRI were, in particular, congenital anomalies and hereditary nephropathies. The mean follow-up was 6.1 years.


RESULTS
No significant difference was found between bone age (BA) and chronologic age (CA) (4.7 +/- 3.4 vs 5.7 +/- 3.5 years, p < 0.3) at diagnosis, while it was lightly delayed (8.6 +/- 5.2 vs 11 +/- 5.6 years, p < 0.07) at the end of the study. At diagnosis the mean height SDS for CA was 0.64 +/- 1.12, at the end of observation was -1.2 +/- 1. Only in 3 patients height was < -2DS: two of them underwent rhGH treatment; the third patient had a growth potential exhausted. The mean height velocity (HV) was 6 +/- 4.2 cm/y at diagnosis and 4.8 +/- 3 at last observation (p < 0.3). No significant difference at diagnosis was found between the HV cm/y and GRF stratified for range, at follow-up there was light significant difference between HV and light CRF vs severe (p < 0.02). Likewise no significant relationship between HV and CA was observed. Actually 20 patients are in conservative treatment, 6 received renal transplantation: for them the growth has been proportional to reached renal function and age of receiver.


CONCLUSIONS
The conservative therapeutic regimens and good compliance allowed to limit growth deficiency.
Lama
G
G
Dipartimento di Pediatria, Seconda Università degli Studi, Napoli. lama@cds.unina.it
De Rosa
E
E
Piscitelli
A
A
Luongo
I
I
Esposito Salsano
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male