OBJECTIVETo evaluate the growth of children in weight and height before and after liver transplantation and the relation between malnutrition and postoperative time.

METHODGrowth was assessed for children who received liver transplantation from July 2007 to December 2012 after operation during follow-up. Weight and height were measured for 51 children in May 30, 2013. Weight and height percentiles of each child were calculated in accordance with data surveying on physical development of children in nine provinces/municipalities. Underweight was defined as weight less than the third percentile of same age and sex groups. Growth retardation was defined as height less than the third percentile of same age and sex groups. Children were set into 2 groups (before liver transplantation group, after liver transplantation group). The incidence of underweight and growth retardation were analyzed by chi-square test. Children were divided into 4 groups according to the length of time from operation time to May 30, 2013: 1 year after liver transplantation (1-365 days); 2 years after liver transplantation (366-730 days); 3 years after liver transplantation (731-1 095 days) ; 4 years or more after liver transplantation (1 096-2 133 days) . The underweight and growth retardation were analyzed by hierarchical log linear model.

RESULTThe mean age of 51 children was 44.78 months (range 13 months to 13 years old), 26 of them were male and 25 female. The number of children with underweight and growth retardation were 20 (39%) and 35 (69%) respectively before transplantation and were 5 (10%) and 14 (27%) respectively after transplantation. There was a significant difference between underweight incidence before and after operation (χ(2) = 10.385, P = 0.001). There was significant difference between growth retardation incidence before and after operation (χ(2) = 15.710, P = 0.000). The subjects included 10 patients at 1 year after operation (underweight n = 3, growth retardation n = 3), 19 patients at 2 years (underweight n = 1, growth retardation n = 9), 10 patients at 3 years (underweight n = 1, growth retardation n = 2), 12 patients at 4 years and above (underweight n = 0, growth retardation n = 0). Parameter analysis of hierarchical log linear estimates: underweight at 1 year = 0.661, underweight at 2 years = -0.214, underweight at 3 years = 0.119, underweight at 4 years and above = -0.566. Growth retardation at 1 year = 0.282, at 2 years = 0.613, at 3 years = 0.051, at 4 years and above = -0.946.

CONCLUSIONCompared with after liver transplantation, obvious malnutrition existed in patients before transplantation. Patients have the ability to catch-up growth after liver transplantation. Reduced effect of underweight occurred in second year after liver transplantation. Reduced effect of growth retardation occurred in third year after liver transplantation.