https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29077642

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2017 Oct 27. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000001815. [Epub ahead of print]

Long-Term Follow-up after Pediatric Liver Transplantation: Predictors of Growth.
Loeb N, Owens JS, Strom M, Farassati F, Van Roestel K, Chambers K, Kean P, Ng VL, Avitzur Y, Carricato M, Wales P, Martin GC.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To describe long-term growth post-pediatric liver transplantation and to conduct bivariate and multivariate analysis of factors that may predict post-transplantation growth in children who received a liver transplant from January 1999 to December 2008 at the Hospital for Sick Children.

METHODS:

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with follow-up of up-to 10 years post-transplantation. Mean height and weight z-scores and annual differences in mean z-scores were plotted against time after transplantation. A one-way ANOVA was conducted. Multivariate and Univariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with reaching the 50 and 25 percentiles for height.

RESULTS:

A total of 127 children met eligibility criteria. The mean height z-score at time of transplantation was -2.21 which by the second year post-transplantation increased significantly to -0.66 (mean increase of 1.55 standard deviation units). There were no further significant increases in mean height z-score from two years post-transplantation until the end of follow-up at year 10. In multivariate analysis, height at transplant was the most important predictor of linear growth post-transplantation.

CONCLUSION:

Children who underwent liver transplantation had significant catch-up growth in the first 2 years post-transplantation followed by a plateau phase. Increased height z-score at transplantation is the most important predictor of long-term growth.