Growth failure in children with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) is not solely related to residual renal function. Other factors associated with poor growth include acidosis, renal osteodystrophy, hyperphosphatemia, and vitamin D deficiency.

To determine if renal diagnosis (dx) is associated with growth failure, we performed a cross sectional study of height standard deviation scores (SDS) on 2131 children with GFR < 75 ml/min/1.73m2 at enrollment in NAPRTCS. Height SDS and GFR by dx are outlined below. In multivariate analysis, pt dx remained significantly associated with height SDS even after controlling for pt age, sex and GFR. Pairwise comparisons to familial nephritis pts showed pts with cystinosis (p<.0001), other renal dx (p<.0001), renal infarct(p=.0064) and structural dx (p=.0065) had significantly lower mean height SDS. These data support a relationship between dx and height SDS in pts with CRI. Further study of the contributions of age at GFR decline and duration of decreased GFR in growth failure deserve further study. (*Cong. Nephrotic Syndrome, **Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, #Focal & Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, +Glomerulonephritis) Table

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