title: Prevalence and pattern of growth abnormalities in children with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction: Response to shunt surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Growth retardation is common in children with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) and growth hormone (GH) resistance may play a dominant role. The aim of this study was to ascertain growth parameters and growth-related hormones in children with EHPVO, comparing with controls and to study the response of shunt surgery on growth parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  The auxological and growth-related hormone profile (GH; insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 [IGFBP-3] and IGF-1) of thirty children with EHPVO were compared with controls. The effect of shunt surgery on growth parameters in 12 children was also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean height standard deviation score (HSDS) of cases (-1.797 ± 1.146) was significantly lower than that of controls (-0.036 ± 0.796); the mean weight SDS of cases (-1.258 ± 0.743) was also lower than that of controls (-0.004 ± 0.533). The mean GH level of cases (5.00 ± 6.46 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that of controls (1.78 ± 2.04 ng/ml). The mean IGF-1 level of cases (100.25 ± 35.93 ng/ml) was significantly lower as compared to controls (233.53 ± 115.06 ng/ml) as was the mean IGFBP-3 level (2976.53 ± 1212.82 ng/ml in cases and 5183.28 ± 1531.28 ng/ml in controls). In 12 patients who underwent shunt surgery, growth parameters significantly improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Marked decrease in weight and height SDSs associated with GH resistance is seen in children with EHPVO, which improves with shunt surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Toufeeq Ahmad
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Mir
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Raiz Ahmad
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Misgar
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Bashir Ahmad
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Laway
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Omar Javed
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Zafar Amin
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
authors.forename: Showkat Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Zargar
keywords: Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction; growth hormone resistance; growth retardation; shunt surgery