OBJECTIVE:Malnutrition is a frequent complication among children with renal diseases. Short stature is the main clinical sign. The aim of this study is to analyze the nutritional status of children with renal disease using anthropometry. METHODS: This cross sectional study enrolled 21 (43%) boys and 28 (57%) girls with age ranging from 5.3 to 19.5 years. They were divided in three groups based on their creatinine clearance (mL/min/1.73m²): Group 1, >37 (n=19); Group 2, between 15 and 37 (n=9) and Group 3, <15 (n=21). Weight and height were obtained in order to calculate the following indexes: Weight/age (W/A), height/age (H/A) and body mass index (BMI); then, Z scores were obtained. Malnutrition was defined as Z scores below -2. ANOVA test was used to compare groups. RESULTS: There were no differences among the groups for anthropometric data. 19 patients (38.8%) presented short-stature and 22 (44.8%) low-weight. Z scores were similar among groups relative to W/A, H/A and BMI values. W/A Z score values were: Group 1: -1.9±1.8; Group 2: -2.6±3.1 and Group 3: -2.5±1.4 (p=0.47). H/A Z scores values were: Group 1: -1.5±1.2; Group 2: -2.3±1.8 and Group 3: -2.1±1.1 (p=0.18). The calculated BMI Z scores were: Group 1: -1.2±1.4; Group 2: -1.7±3.9 and Group 3: -1.6±1.3 (p=0.82). 19 children presented short stature and 22 presented low weight. There were no differences between the studied groups. CONCLUSIONS: The sample presented high prevalence of malnutrition. Even considering the disease stage, there were no nutritional differences between the studied groups.
renal insufficiency; chronic; nutritional assessment; child; adolescent
