EVALUATION OF GROWTH IN LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PHENYLKETONURIA

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the anthropometric parameters of patients with PKU receiving special nutritional therapy and how these parameters changed over time, and to evaluate anthropometric measurements in the early years of life in terms of predicting the development of overweight/ obesity later in life. Material and Methods: In this single-centre, long-term, observational, and descriptive study, 102 individuals with phenylketonuria who were diagnosed in the first 2 months of life and initiated nutritional treatment were included. Results: The ratios of overweight and obesity were found to be lower in our patient group compared with the general population in both evaluations. The weight-for-age (p=0.000), heightfor-age (p=0.000), weight-for-height (p=0.000), and body mass index (p=0.052) of the patients decreased compared with the evaluation at the baseline of the follow-up period. Forty-six patients had a change in their anthropometric evaluations. Conclusion: Monitoring anthropometric measurements and body composition changes in all patient groups receiving specialised nutritional therapies is critical in determining and monitoring treatment efficacy. The reason for the low ratios of obesity and overweight in our patient group compared with the healthy population is thought to be the close monitoring of nutritional therapies and anthropometric parameters of the patients in the follow-up.