Measurement of growth in children with renal insufficiency

Abstract

The serial measurement of stature, weight, skinfold thickness, mean arm circumference, skeletal maturity, and where appropriate, stage of sexual development are recommended as suitable indices for assessing growth in children with kidney disease. Methods of expressing the data for evaluating the individual child are those generally used. Emphasis is given to relating stature to bone age in evaluating growth potential. Methods for comparing growth rates in groups of children are less well-developed. Using standard deviation scores is recommended for comparing stature in two groups of children or in the same child observed at the end of two different regimens. Weight using ideal weight-for-height as reference from a group of children can be treated statistically. Data of skinfold thickness and arm circumference from two groups can be handled statistically only when the groups are comparable in age and sex.