The effect of malnutrition on kidney size in children

Malnutrition is a widespread disorder in children, and ultrasonography is the method of choice to estimate kidney dimensions. Previously, kidney sizes had been studied in healthy newborns and in pediatric patients; however, kidney sizes were not investigated sufficiently in malnourished children. The study group consisted of 74 children with energy malnutrition (marasmus), and the control group consisted of 47 healthy children. Kidney sizes were mesaured by the same radiologist using ultrasonography. The mean age of the marasmic group was 29.6 ± 14.0 months. Malnourished children had significantly lower kidney length and renal volume but higher relative kidney volume (cm³/body weight) compared with controls (P < 0.05). The mean length and volume of left kidney were higher than those of right kidney in both marasmic and control groups (P < 0.05). The strongest positive correlations were found between body height and kidney length, depth and volume in marasmic group. Regression analysis revealed that height and age of marasmic children had a significant effect on kidney volume; however, only body height had an effect on kidney length. In conclusion, malnourished children had smaller kidney sizes, and body height was the main determinant of their kidney length and volume. The potential long-term detrimental consequences of poor renal growth in malnutrition need to be investigated.