GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND NUTRITIONAL-STATUS IN JAPANESE CHILDREN UNDER2 YEARS ON CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS

We examined the growth, development and nutritional status over a peri od of 10 years of 15 young children (<2 years old) on continuous ambul atory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). There were 6 males and 9 females wit h a mean age of 12.5 months, mean weight of 6.3 kg, mean height of 66. 2 cm at the start of CAPD and a mean duration of therapy of 2.6 years. Height, weight, head circumference, development quotient (DQ), blood chemistry and dietary intake were assessed over a period of 10 years. The patients' mean height standard deviation score (SDS) did not chang e significantly (from -2.51 to -2.74) during CAPD therapy. The mean gr owth velocity index (GVI) during CAPD was 76.5% and correlated positiv ely with energy intake but not with protein intake. The mean DQ was lo w (67.0%) at the start of CAPD and 69.3% at the end of CAPD. DQ did no t correlate with energy intake, GVI, head circumference SDS or with th e weight/height ratio; however, 2 patients with low DQ(<60%) had a low energy intakes. Although most patients had a low DQ, the IQ at 5-6 ye ars of age was normal in all patients except 1 without cerebral diseas e. Our study showed minimal growth Delta SDS) and mental developmental (IQ) delays during CAPD therapy, but an adequate nutritional intake m ust be assured to obtain the above results.