Growth patterns in pediatric bone marrow transplant patients
Insights
Bone marrow transplantation impacts pediatric growth, with about half of patients maintaining height and weight percentiles post-procedure. Continued nursing research and nutritional assessments are recommended for pediatric bone marrow transplant survivors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Hematology
- Nursing Research
Background:
- Limited understanding of long-term effects of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on pediatric growth.
- Growth patterns are crucial indicators of overall health in pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term impact of bone marrow transplantation on the growth curves of pediatric patients.
- To analyze changes in height and weight percentiles following BMT in children.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive study utilizing a chart audit of medical records.
- Inclusion of 60 pediatric patients aged 5 months to 13.9 years at the time of BMT.
Main Results:
- Approximately 50% of pediatric patients maintained their height percentiles post-BMT.
- Slightly less than 50% maintained their weight percentiles after the transplantation procedure.
- Variability in growth pattern maintenance observed among study participants.
Conclusions:
- Bone marrow transplantation can influence long-term growth trajectories in pediatric patients.
- Height and weight monitoring should be integrated into nursing nutritional assessments for pediatric BMT recipients.
- Further nursing research is essential to fully understand and support the growth of pediatric BMT survivors.
Abstract:
There is little known about the long-term effects of the bone marrow transplantation process on the growth of pediatric patients. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine one of the possible long-term effects of bone marrow transplantation: the effect of the bone marrow transplantation process on the growth curves of pediatric patients. A chart audit was completed on the medical records of 60 bone marrow transplant patients who were between the ages of 5 months to 13.9 years at the time of the transplant. Results indicated that approximately half of the subjects maintained their height percentiles, and a little less than half maintained their weight percentiles after the transplant. Results of this study suggest that further nursing research on the growth of pediatric bone marrow transplant patients is needed, and growth (height and weight) should be part of nursing nutritional assessment of pediatric bone marrow transplant patients.
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