Evaluation of growth and nutritional status in children and adolescents with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction and portal hypertension

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aims to evaluate dietary intake, nutritional status, and growth rate in children and adolescents with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction and portal hypertension. Methods: Outpatients aged 1-18 years, diagnosed with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction and portal hypertension, who had no associated diseases, and who had not been subjected to a venous shunt were included in this study. Two evaluations were carried out in this study: an initial (evaluation 1) and a final evaluation (evaluation 2), with a three-month minimum interval between them. In each evaluation, dietary intake was analyzed comparing the results with recommended energy intake using the Harris & Benedict equation and participants’ anthropometric data, such as weight, height, mid-arm muscle circumference, weight-for-age, height-for-age, and body mass index-for-age, based on the World Health Organization 2006 standards. Results: A total of 22 patients participated in this study. There was a significant improvement in weight, height, body mass index, and mid-arm muscle circumference measurements (p<0.001; p<0.001; p<0.017; p=0.0018 respectively) and in the relationship between dietary intake and energy recommended energy intake, according to the Harris & Benedict equation (p=0.0001) from the first and second evaluation. Conclusion: Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction and portal hypertension were not shown to be factors predisposing to malnourishment.