Long-term enteral nutrition in infants and young children with chronic renal failure.

An inadequate nutritional intake is common in infants and young children with chronic and end-stage renal failure (CRF/ESRF), causing poor weight gain and growth retardation. In a programme of enteral feeding (EF), growth, nutritional intake and outcome for oral feeding were evaluated in 35 children with CRF/ESRF, mean (range) age 1.6 (0-4.9) years at start of EF for 30 (12-60) months. Twenty-nine had a glomerular filtration rate of 12.1 (6-26) ml/min per 1.73 m(2) and 6 were on peritoneal dialysis. Mean (SD) weight standard deviation scores (SDSs) in the 0 to 2-year age group (n=26) were -3.3 (1.0) 6 months before EF, -3.1 (1.3) at the start, -1.7 (1. 4) at 1 year, (P=0.0003) and -1.4 (1.8) at 2 years, (P=0.0008). Height SDSs were -2.9 (0.7), -2.9 (1.2), -2.2 (1.2) (P=0.008) and -2. 1 (1.3) (P=0.004). Weight SDSs in the 2 to 5-year age group (n=9) were -2.3 (1.2), -2.0 (1.1), -1.1 (1.3) (P=0.002) and -0.9 (1.0) (P=0.04). Height SDSs were -2.8 (0.6), -2.3 (0.7), -2.0 (0.7) and -2. 0 (0.8). There was no change in energy intake as a percentage of the estimated average requirement, nor was this exceeded. Percentage energy from the EF in the 0 to 2 year age group remained unchanged despite an absolute increase in energy intake with age. Twenty-one have had renal transplants, of whom 86% eat and drink normally. Long-term EF prevents or reverses weight loss and growth retardation in children with CRF/ESRF, with the achievement of significant catch-up growth if started before age 2 years.