Failure to thrive associated with renal disease.

Failure to thrive is a clinical syndrome usually associated with severely reduced increments in height and weight. It is commonly present in patients with chronic renal failure and occurs occasionally in patients with recurrent urinary-tract infections or tubular disorders. Renal osteodystrophy, protein-calorie malnutrition, and chronic glucocorticoid administration have been shown to be important causes of growth failure in patients with renal disease. Altered hormone production, metabolism, or peripheral utilization and acidosis may be causally related to growth failure. Such factors as anemia and hypos-thenuria appear to play no direct role.