NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF CHILDREN WITH MODERATE CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE

Nutritional status was evaluated in 15 children (11 males) with modera te chronic renal failure (CRF). Two 3-day prospective dietary records, anthropometric measures and biochemical determinations were performed 3 months apart. Energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fatty acid intakes, expressed as percent ages of international recommendations, were 87 +/- 14, 223 +/- 42, 73 +/- 12, 110 +/- 27, 55 +/- 31, 129 +/- 51 and 111 +/- 26%, respectivel y. The relative distribution of calories was 151 +/- 2% from proteins, 48 +/- 5% from carbohydrates and 37 +/- 5% from lipids. Anthropometri c indices, expressed as standard deviation score, were: weight -0.50 /- 0.8, height -0.94 +/- 1.3, growth velocity -0.61 +/- 1.8, triceps s kinfold thickness -0.30 +/- 0.6, subscapular skinfold thickness -0.19 +/- 0.8, mid-arm muscle circumference 0.38 +/- 0.3 and body mass index -0.22 +/- 1.0. Serum concentrations of albumin, total protein, transf errin, IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C4 and blood lymphocyte counts were withi n normal limits. The mean serum insulin-like growth factor-I concentra tion, expressed as standard deviation score, as 0.74 +/- 1.5. No anthr opometric or biochemical signs of malnutrition were found in children with moderate CRE However, their dietary intake of calories and carboh ydrates was low and the protein and saturated fatty acid intake excess ively high.