Linear growth following pediatric liver transplantation
A. H. Urbach, J. C. Gartner, J. J. Malatack, B. J. Zitelli, S. Iwatsuki, B. W. Shaw and T. E. Starzl
The linear growth of 29 patients was evaluated from two to 41/2 years after
liver transplantation. All patients received cyclosporine and low-dose
prednisone. Eight patients (28%) displayed acceleration of linear growth
velocity and were above the fifth percentile at the end of the evaluation
period. Four patients (14%) grew normally prior to transplantation and
continued to grow normally after the surgical procedure. Only four patients
(14%) dropped from higher levels to below the fifth percentile. Thirteen
patients (45%) were less than the fifth percentile before and after
surgery; ten of these 13 patients have attained normal or accelerated
growth velocity. Good linear growth has been achieved in more than three
fourths of patients who underwent liver transplantation.
