Evaluation of height centile growth patterns compared with parental‐adjusted target height following kidney transplantation

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundEarly steroid withdrawal (ESW) improves growth following kidney transplant (KT). It is not known whether these children achieve target height within mid‐parental height range post‐KT.MethodsRetrospective analysis of growth patterns of KT recipients following ESW in our center between 2009 and 2020 had minimum follow‐up period of 12 months.ResultsForty‐eight (female 29.2%) KT recipients, median age 5.3 years at first KT, were included. At KT, 29 (60.4%) recipients had normal height (SDS≥‐1.88) and in 23 (47.9%), the height was within their target height (parental‐adjusted height SDS within ±1.55). The proportion of children achieving normal height at 1‐, 2‐, 3‐, and 5‐years post‐KT (median 5.5 years) were 75%, 83.3%, 86.5%, and 88% respectively. The proportion of children achieving target height measured at the same intervals was 68.8%, 73.8%, 73%, and 80%, respectively. Children <6 years were most growth impaired at KT but were most likely to achieve target height within first‐year post‐KT (72%; p = .023). All 19 children with short stature at KT received dialysis. Three children received growth hormone post‐KT. Children who did not achieve target height post‐KT (n = 14), five had eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, and eight were on corticosteroid therapy at latest follow‐up.ConclusionsAlthough vast majority of children achieved normal height post‐KT following ESW during the first 5 years post‐KT, 20% of these children had not achieved their target height post‐KT.