Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 as a Prognostic Marker in Persistent Diarrhea

Abstract

The aim of this work was to measure IGF-1 level before and after management and nutritional rehabilitation in patients with persistent diarrhea of different causes, and evaluate it as a prognostic marker. This study was conducted on 30 infants and children diagnosed to have persistent diarrhea (diarrhea lasting > 14 days) and their ages ranged between 6- 36 months with a mean age of 15.4 + 7.5 months. They were 18 males and 12 females. They were recruited from the outpatient clinics of Pediatric Hospital Ain Shams University in the period from March 2003 - February 2004. Patients who were'•severely dehydrated and need I.V. fluid therapy in ICU and those who did not tolerate oral feeding during rehabilitation were excluded from the study. All patients .were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination and laboratory nvestigations including CBC, ESR, CRP, total serum proteins, serum albumin, serum prealbumin, serum IGF-1, urine samples for lactulose and L­ rhamnose excretion percentage and breath hydrogen test. Blood culture was done at baseline for children with fever and in those with features suggestive of sepsis at admission.