Nutritional status of children undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Nutritional status was assessed in 24 clinically stable children, aged 9.68 +/- 4.31 (SD) yr, who underwent CAPD for 6.6 +/- 4.4 months. Energy intake tended to be more suppressed than protein intake. Several nutritional parameters were more abnormal in children less than 10 yr old as compared to children 10 yr of age or older. In comparison to normals of the same chronological age and sex, both groups of patients displayed reduced height, weight, midarm, and midarm muscle circumference, and, in the younger children, triceps skinfold; height retardation was particularly severe. Compared to height/age, anthropometry was not reduced in older children while triceps skinfold and midarm circumference were decreased in children younger than 10 yr. In both groups, serum total protein, albumin, transferrin, and many plasma amino acids were decreased, and serum triglycerides and cholesterol were elevated. Serum total protein decreased during treatment with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. These observations suggest decreased stature and poor nutritional status in children undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Low protein and energy intake and dialysate protein losses may contribute to these abnormalities.