Body composition, resting metabolic rate, and energy requirements of short- and normal-stature, low-income Guatemalan children.

We examined body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis and isotope dilution (18O and 2H), resting metabolic rate (RMR) by indirect calorimetry, and total energy expenditure (TEE) by doubly labeled water in 15 short-stature (height-for-age < or = -1.5 SD) and 15 normal-stature (height-for-age > -1.5 SD) Guatemalan children aged 4-6 y. Although, in absolute terms significant group differences were found in fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass, and total body water (TBW), there were no significant differences in fat mass and TBW after adjustment for FFM. RMR of the short-stature children (3791 +/- 376 kJ/d) was not significantly different from that of normal-stature children (4038 +/- 531 kJ/d), and the regression between RMR and FFM was also not significantly different between groups. TEE was not significantly different in short-stature (4753 +/- 761 kJ/d) compared with normal-stature children (5304 +/- 1020 kJ/d); the regression between TEE and FFM was not significantly different between the two groups. There were no significant group differences in RMR and TEE after adjustment for FFM. FFM was the strongest predictor of TEE, but could only explain 29% of the variance. We conclude that 1) the lower TBW and fat mass in the short-stature group is proportional to their lower FFM, 2) there is no significant difference in either RMR or TEE between short- and normal-stature children, and 3) TEE is highly variable among these children and cannot be explained by differences in body size alone.

An analysis of liver transplant experience from 37 transplant centers as reported to Medicare.

Analysis of 5180 liver transplant cases from 37 liver transplant centers in the United States (1982-1991) shows an overall one-year survival rate of 79.4 +/- 0.6% and a five-year survival rate of 69.2 +/- 0.9%. There was marked improvement in the one-year survival rate after liver transplantation from 36.0 +/- 9.6% in 1982 to 85.0 +/- 1.8% in 1991. One-year survival rates after liver transplantation for postnecrotic cirrhosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, alcoholic cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, and Wilson's disease ranged from 78.4 +/- 1.0% to 84.2 +/- 1.5% and five-year survival rates from 68.6 +/- 3.8% to 79.2 +/- 5.3%. Survival rates after liver transplantation for hemochromatosis were poor--a one-year survival rate of 53.8 +/- 6.8% and a five year survival rate of 43.1 +/- 11%. One- and five-year survival rates for the 0-13 years age group were 74.6 +/- 2.8% and 66.7 +/- 3.4%; for the 14-37 years age group, 83.3 +/- 1.2% and 73.8 +/- 1.8%; for the 38-54 years age group, 79.6 +/- 0.8% and 69.7 +/- 1.3%; for the 55-63 years age group, 76.0 +/- 1.4% and 63.0 +/- 3.1%; and for the 64-77 years age group, 76.5 +/- 3.0% and 65.4 +/- 4.6%.