Early Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease and Physical Growth in Children - A Hospital Based Study

Background: Growth retardation is the common complication in children with chronic kidney disease. As it develop in early stages of the disease, growth monitoring is essential. Methods: The observational study was carried out in Institute of Child Health, Chennai. A total of 125 children with stage 2 to stage 4 were included in the study. The growth parameters were measured and plotted in growth charts prescribed by Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Results: Among 125 children with chronic kidney disease, 89(71.2%) of them were boys with ratio of 2.4:1. The mean age at presentation was 9.27 ± 2.57. Congenital structural defects found in 59(47.2%) and 44(35.2%) children with glomerular disease. Majority, 73(58.4%) were in stage 2, 20(16%) in stage 3 and 32(25.6%) in stage 4. The mean duration of diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease was 2.4 years. The mean height at presentation was 117.6 cm. Severely stunted growth among 59 (43.7%) children with height < 3rd percentile. Likewise, 55(44%) were underweight. The mean weight at presentation was 21.43kg. For Body Mass Index, 66(52.8%) children were <25th percentile (wasted), in which 49 (55.1%) were males. Height was associated with age and stage. Weight was associated with primary disease, duration of Chronic Kidney Disease, stage and birth order. Body Mass Index of these children was strongly associated with primary disease. Conclusion: Regular monitoring of physical growth in children with chronic kidney disease is essential to identify the progress of disease and initiate appropriate management in these children.