Nutritional status of children with moderate chronic renal failure

Nutritional status was evaluated in 15 children (11 males) with moderate chronic renal failure (CRF). Two 3-day prospective dietary records, anthropometric measures and biochemical determinations were performed 3 months apart. Energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fatty acid intakes, expressed as percentages of international recommendations, were 87 +/- 14, 223 +/- 42, 73 +/- 12, 110 +/- 27, 55 +/- 31, 129 +/- 51 and 111 +/- 26%, respectively. The relative distribution of calories was 15 +/- 2% from proteins, 48 +/- 5% from carbohydrates and 37 +/- 5% from lipids. Anthropometric indices, expressed as standard deviation score, were: weight -0.50 +/- 0.8, height -0.94 +/- 1.3, growth velocity -0.61 +/- 1.8, triceps skinfold thickness -0.30 +/- 0.6, subscapular skinfold thickness -0.19 +/- 0.8, mid-arm muscle circumference 0.38 +/- 0.3 and body mass index -0.22 +/- 1.0. Serum concentrations of albumin, total protein, transferrin, IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C4 and blood lymphocyte counts were within normal limits. The mean serum insulin-like growth factor-I concentration, expressed as standard deviation score, as 0.74 +/- 1.5. No anthropometric or biochemical signs of malnutrition were found in children with moderate CRF. However, their dietary intake of calories and carbohydrates was low and the protein and saturated fatty acid intake excessively high.