Growth of small children managed with chronic peritoneal dialysis and nasogastric tube feedings: 203-month experience in 14 patients.

This 203-month experience with CPD and NG feedings in 14 small children weighing less than or equal to 10 kg at initiation of CPD for ESRD, provides evidence that CPD and vigorous nutritional therapy is effective in maintaining and improving growth until a successful renal transplant can be performed. Nutritional therapy should be initiated early, if possible when growth begins to decline even before the onset of ESRD and the need for CPD. Infants who are less than or equal to 4 months old at initiation of CPD are more likely to have a complicated clinical course and poor growth, despite the provision of CPD and vigorous nutritional support. More experience with this group of patients is needed to determine appropriate therapy.