BACKGROUND: @entity1 post-liver transplantation (post-LTX) are at risk of @entity851 and decreased @entity79 ( @entity79 ) secondary to corticosteroid (CS) therapy and suboptimal intake of nutrients important for bone health. The pediatric LTX program at Stollery @entity1 's Hospital introduced a CS-free LTX regimen in 2003. This retrospective study investigated whether the implementation of a CS-free protocol resulted in improvements in @entity79 (dual x-ray absorptiometry) and growth following LTX. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all @entity1 undergoing LTX was conducted. The parameters included repeated measures of anthropometric (weight, weight z score, height, height z score), @entity79 /bone mineral content (BMC), laboratory variables, graft function (number/severity of rejection), and CS therapy (dose, duration). RESULTS: A total of 39 @entity1 met study inclusion (20 male; n = 28 on CS; n = 11 CS-free). Mean duration of follow-up was 5.5    3.3 years. The mean weight and height z scores were -0.31    0.14 (CS) and 0.22    0.23 (CS-free; P = .09) and -0.71    0.13 (CS) and 0.23    0.22 (CS-free; P = .002), respectively. Lumbar and whole-body @entity79 z score less than -2 were present in 15% and 8% of the cohort, respectively. There were no significant differences between CS and CS-free in lumbar BMC (22.2    1.4 and 23.4    2.02 g; P = .165) and lumbar @entity79 (0.57    0.02 and 0.80    0.22 g/cm(2); P = .152), respectively. Lumbar BMC (r(2) = 0.89, P < .05) and whole-body BMC (r(2) = 0.93, P < .05) were inversely related to CS dose >0.2 mg/kg/d and positively related to bone age (P < .01). CONCLUSION: CS therapy in @entity1 post-LTX is associated with reduced BMC and delayed linear growth. Understanding the clinical and nutrition factors influencing bone health is important to optimizing growth and bone health in @entity1 post-LTX.

Bone Mineral Density and Growth in XXXX Having Undergone Liver Transplantation With Corticosteroid-Free Immunosuppressive Protocol.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'patients', 'Children'] @entity79 :: ('MESH:D001847', 'Disease') :: ['bone mineral density', 'BMD'] @entity851 :: ('MESH:D006130', 'Disease') :: ['growth delay']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['Children']
