NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT AND GROWTH IN THALASSEMIA MAJOR

Twelve thalassaemic children under 3 years of age received intensive n utritional support for one month and were discharged on a prescribed d iet of locally available foods. Anthropometry, bioelectrical impedance analysis and dietary intake were longitudinally assessed. Mean energy intake was 20% greater than the recommended daily allowance during nu tritional supplementation as compared with below the recommended daily allowance before and after the period of nutritional support. Weight, but not height, significantly increased during the support period and was fat mass. Body weight, fat free mass and fat mass declined in lin e with the reduced intake upon return home; however, height velocity a ccelerated and exceeded normal through the fourth month before resumin g a below normal rate. It can be concluded that (1) nutritional stunti ng as the result of reduced nutrient intake is an important cause of g rowth failure in young children with thalassaemia and is responsive to nutritional support, (2) the deficit in height velocity was due to re tarded truncal height growth, and (3) the bioelectrical impedance anal ysis method is suitable for body composition analysis of thalassaemic children.