Background: Several studies carried out to examine the growth of children with extra-hepatic portal vein obstruction and portal hypertension have reported a variety of findings.
Aim: To assess anthropometric indices in children with portal hypertension due to extra-hepatic portal vein obstruction and who were treated by endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy.
Methods: Anthropometric data were obtained retrospectively from the medical records of 24 patients who had been followed for 3.8 +/- 2.5 years at the Pediatric Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic of the University Hospital, Campinas, SP, Brazil. The mean Z scores of weight for age, height for age and body mass index at diagnosis and at the last consultation were compared to reference data of the National Center for Health Statistics. The two recordings were compared to assess the long-term effect of the condition.
Results: The mean Z scores at diagnosis and at the last follow-up visit were all within normal ranges when compared to the reference population, with the following respective values: weight for age, 0.042 +/- 1.09 and 0.132 +/- 1.29; height for age, 0.200 +/- 1.04 and 0.466 +/- 1.24, and body mass index, -0.223 +/- 0.98 and -0.198 +/- 0.98. In addition, there were no significant differences between the Z score values obtained in the two recordings.
Conclusion: Portal hypertension due to extra-hepatic portal vein obstruction was not associated with growth impairment in the group of children studied.