Kidney transplantation fails to provide adequate growth in children with chronic kidney disease born small for gestational age

Background Children with chronic kidney disease are frequently born small for gestational age (SGA) and prone to disproportionately short stature. It is unclear how SGA affects growth after kidney transplantation (KTx). Methods Linear growth (height, sitting height, and leg length) was prospectively investigated in a cohort of 322 pediatric KTx recipients, with a mean follow-up of 4.9 years. Sitting height index (ratio of sitting height to total body height) was used to assess body proportions. Predictors of growth outcome in KTx patients with ( n = 94) and without ( n = 228) an SGA history were evaluated by the use of linear mixed-effects models. Results Mean z-scores for all linear body dimensions were lower in SGA compared with non-SGA patients ( p