WEIGHT, HEIGHT AND
QUALITY OF LIFE IN SLOVENIAN CHILDREN AFTER LIVER TRANSPLANTATION
Sedmak M., Logar-Car G.
University Medical Centre, Division of Paediatrics, Ljubljana,
Slovenia
Objective:
To evaluate weight, height and quality of life (QOL) in paediatric liver
recipients in Slovenia.
Methods:
From April 1989 to June 2000, 17 children from 3,5 mos to 16 yrs underwent
liver transplantation (LT) including two retransplants.One year survival
was 82,4%. Data was collected in 11 children who completed 8 mos-5 yrs
follow-up after LT. Double immunosupression with cyclosporine or tacrolimus
and prednisone was used. Steroids were tapered to alternative days after
one year post LT. Height and weight were expressed in Eurogrowth percentile
curves. Catch up growth was expressed in at least 25 percentile for age.
The QOL was assessed according to the classification to performance status
(PS) adapted to school attendance in 5 patients of the same group.
Results:
Weight
and Height in 11 children before and after LT
|
Weight
|
Before
LT
|
3
months after LT
|
18
months after LT
|
|
³ 25 percentile
|
6
|
4
|
10
|
|
£ 10 percentile
|
5
|
7
|
1
|
|
Height
|
Before
LT
|
3
months after LT
|
34
months after LT
|
|
³ 25 percentile
|
7
|
3
|
10
|
|
£ 10 percentile
|
4
|
8
|
1
|
QOL
was assessed in last six months in 5 patients of the same group. All of
them were symptom free (except two respiratory viral infections and one
uroinfection) with daily school attendance and participation in gymnastic
and sports (PS0+1).
Conclusion: Children who had lower weight before and/or 3 months after LT caught
normal weight at most 18 months after LT. Normal height was caught up
later, at most 34 months after LT. One child did not catch up normal weight
and height, probably because of Alagille syndrome.The majority of
recipients showed excellent QOL.