Growth and height in children after liver transplantation

Growth and Final Height After Liver Transplantation During Childhood

“…Several studies have evaluated growth after LTx (4,5,(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Our finding that children with the most severe growth retardation at the time of LTx show better growth after LTx is comparable to the results of most studies (5,10,11,15).…”

“…The finding of greater catch-up growth in children who underwent LTx at an age younger than 2 years was also comparable to that in most studies (4,5,10,15,16), although 1 report showed better growth if transplantation was delayed until the child was older than 2 years (27). Most studies show growth retardation at the moment of LTx, with catch-up growth during the 2 years thereafter (4,5,8,(10)(11)(12)(13)16,(27)(28)(29)(30)(31). At the beginning of this 2-year posttransplant period, growth may become further retarded, followed by catch-up growth during the next 18 months.…”

“…Many children have growth retardation before LTx (2)(3)(4). Several studies have indicated that growth retardation remains after LTx, whereas others have reported catch-up growth (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). So far, 7 reports have become available on growth during the 5 years after LTx (4,(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16).…”

Safety of ribavirin in adolescent thalassemic patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

“…3 Although interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin combination has been used for a considerable time 12,13 recent trials have shown that peg-IFN and ribavirin combination in children and adolescents gave rise to similar adverse events and treatment outcomes as in adult patients. 4,[14][15][16][17][18] There are also few reports about the children/adolescent who previously failed standard interferon treatment and then retreated with peg-IFN and ribavirin combination. 15,16 Our patients have received either IFN alfa-2b alone or in combination with ribavirin and have failed to respond.…”