Prenatal diagnosis of bilateral isolated fetal hyperechogenic kidneys. Is it possible to predict long term outcome?

OBJECTIVE: To study perinatal and long term outcome following prenatal diagnosis of hyperechogenic kidneys. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: The Maternité Port-Royal Hôpital Cochin and at the Departments of Obstetrics and Paediatric Nephrology, Necker Enfants Malades in Paris, France. POPULATION: Forty-three fetuses with isolated bilateral hyperechogenic kidneys. METHODS: All patients referred with isolated bilateral hyperechogenic fetal kidneys were followed up prospectively up to 34-132 months. The following prenatal items were analysed: fetal kidney size, amniotic fluid volume, gestational age at diagnosis, family history and renal ultrasound in parents. Postmortem examination was carried out in cases with perinatal death. Postnatal follow up of survivors included postnatal ultrasound, blood pressure, serum creatinine, proteinuria, need for restricted diet, weight and height and renal biopsy when available. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Aetiology of hyperechogenicity, perinatal mortality and renal function in survivors. RESULTS: The aetiology could be established by family history, postmortem or postnatal data, but not by prenatal ultrasound. There were 20 autosomal recessive, 8 autosomal dominant polycystic kidney diseases, 9 other renal disorders and 6 symptom-free survivors without aetiological diagnosis. There were 19 terminations of pregnancy, 5 neonatal deaths and 19 survivors, of whom 14 had normal renal function three had mild and two had end stage renal failure. None of those with severe oligohydramnios and fetal kidneys > 4 SD survived (n = 14, 10 terminations and 4 neonatal deaths), whereas of the 17 with normal amniotic fluid volume and kidneys < 4 SD, 14 survived, of whom 9 were symptom-free. CONCLUSION: Aetiology could not be established prenatally in the absence of familial data. Kidney size and amniotic fluid volume were the best prenatal predictors of outcome.

Urological complications after renal transplantation using ureteroureteral anastomosis in children.

PURPOSE: Ureterovesical reimplantation is most often performed for renal transplantation in children. We reviewed our experience to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ureteroureteral reimplantation in pediatric renal transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the charts of 92 boys and 72 girls who underwent a total of 166 ureteroureteral anastomoses for renal transplantation from January 1990 to December 1999. Spatulated end-to-end anastomosis was performed between recipient and graft ureters without stenting and with a bladder catheter for at least 10 days. RESULTS: Mean patient age at transplantation was 11.2 years (range 1 to 21.5). There were 22 living related donor and 144 cadaveric grafts. Urological anomalies and nephropathy were the cause of end stage renal disease in 146 and 20 patients, respectively. Urological complications were noted in 14 of the 166 transplantations (8.4%) in 10 boys and 4 girls, including 12 initial and 2 repeat grafts from 2 living related and 12 cadaveric donors. Five of these patients had undergone previous urological surgery. The 2 children (1.2%) with acute ureteral obstruction underwent repeat intervention after stent failure. Anastomotic leakage in 7 cases (4.2%) was treated conservatively in 1 and with a Double-J stent (Medical Engineering Corp., New York, New York) only required in 3. Reoperation was required in 3 cases. One patient (0.6%) with late ureteral stenosis underwent repeat anastomosis, 1 (0.6%) required reimplantation for recurrent pyelonephritis due to vesicoureteral reflux in the graft, 1 (0.6%) with a valve bladder required bladder augmentation and ureteral reimplantation, and 1 (0.6%) with lymphocele and 1 (0.6%) with lithiasis were successfully treated conservatively. Complications were associated with acute rejection in 6 cases. Mean followup without graft loss in patients who presented with versus without complications was 58.3 months (range 1 to 112) versus 75 (range 1 to 118). In the former patients with a mean age of 16 years 9 months versus those without urological complications mean serum creatinine was 116 and 108 mol./l., respectively. Two grafts were lost in patients with urological complications, including 1 who died of pulmonary embolism and 1 with refractory chronic rejection. Seven patients were lost to followup after 54 months (range 12 to 113) of adequate graft function. CONCLUSIONS: Ureteroureteral anastomosis is a safe and effective technique for pediatric renal transplantation with a low complication rate, which may be due to better vascularization of the shorter ureteral end of the graft. Our results should encourage the use of this technique in pediatric renal transplantation. Efforts to preserve the recipient ureters should be made at nephrectomy.

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease in adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Renal cysts arising from collecting ducts, congenital hepatic fibrosis, and recessive inheritance characterize autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). The disorder usually manifests in infancy, with a high mortality rate in the first year of life. For the patients who survive the neonatal period, the probability of being alive at 15 years of age ranges from 50 to 80%, with 56--67% of them not requiring renal replacement therapy at that stage. Some develop portal hypertension. Long-term outcome of adults escaping renal insufficiency above age 18 is largely unknown. METHOD: In consecutive patients with ARPKD and autonomous renal function at age 18, clinical course of kidney and liver disease in adulthood and status at last follow-up were evaluated. Progression of renal insufficiency was assessed by the rate of decline of creatinine clearance, according to Schwartz's formula before age 18 and Cockcroft and Gault formula thereafter. Severity of liver involvement was estimated by imaging techniques, liver function tests, and endoscopy. RESULTS: Sixteen patients from 15 families were included. ARPKD was diagnosed between 1 day and 13 years of age. From diagnosis, mean follow-up period lasted 24+/-9 years. Before age 18, nine patients (56%) were hypertensive, nine (56%) had renal failure, and four (25%) had portal hypertension. Beyond age 18, no additional patient became hypertensive, and another five developed progressive renal insufficiency; altogether, the mean yearly decline of creatinine clearance was 2.9+/-1.6 ml/min. Portal hypertension was recognized in two additional patients. Four patients experienced gastro-oesophageal bleeding, while recurrent cholangitis or cholangiocarcinoma developed in one case each. At the end of follow-up, 15/16 patients (94%) were alive at a mean age of 27 (18--55) years. Two patients had a normal renal function, 11 had chronic renal insufficiency, one was on regular dialysis, and two had functioning kidney grafts. Four patients had required a porto-systemic shunt. CONCLUSIONS: A subset of ARPKD patients with autonomous renal function at age 18 experiences slowly progressive renal insufficiency. With prolonged renal survival, complications related to portal hypertension are not rare, requiring careful surveillance and appropriate management.

Long term results of liver-kidney transplantation in children with primary hyperoxaluria.

From 1990 to 2000, we performed eight liver-kidney transplants in eight children, aged 1-16 years, with end-stage renal failure (ESRF) due to primary hyperoxaluria (PH1). The duration of dialysis before transplantation ranged from 2 to 42 months (mean 14 months) and was <1 year in four patients. Only the first patient underwent postoperative hemodialysis; in the other five, we chose to induce maximal diuresis from the first hours with intravenous and intragastric hyperhydration (> or =3 l/m2 per day). High water intake with nocturnal tube hydration was maintained for 6 months to 5 years, as long as oxaluria exceeded 0.5 mmol/day. A quadruple sequential immunosuppressive regimen was used. Two patients died during liver graft surgery. The other six patients are alive and well, with a mean follow-up of 7.4 years (range 5-11 years). Patient and graft survival is 75% at 5 years. At latest follow-up, liver tests were normal in all six patients; creatinine clearance ranged from 55 to 95 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (mean=74). Oxaluria was lower than 0.4 mmol/day in all patients (mean=0.22). The six patients underwent 15 renal biopsies, 1-11 years after transplantation. Chronic transplant nephropathy was present in four patients and mild cyclosporin nephrotoxicity in another. No oxalate crystals were seen and repeat ultrasonography has been consistently normal in all patients. The three patients with bone oxalosis showed progressive complete healing of bone lesions. All six children or adolescents now live a normal life. From this series, we conclude that early combined liver-kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for children with ESRF due to primary hyperoxaluria.

Role of the bladder in delayed failure of kidney transplants in boys with posterior urethral valves.

PURPOSE: There is a tendency toward less favorable long-term graft function in patients with posterior urethral valves than in controls. We studied the role of the bladder in boys who underwent transplantation by simultaneously evaluating renal graft and voiding function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1972 and 1994, 66 boys with posterior urethral valves underwent kidney transplantation. Of these boys 44 with a mean age of 9.7 years who retained a functional renal graft did not undergo any surgery on the lower urinary tract except for the initial treatment of posterior urethral valves. Long-term evaluation included a voiding questionnaire, radiological assessment and serum creatinine measurement. RESULTS: Average followup was 9.01 years (range 2.4 to 19.6). There was no voiding dysfunction symptomatology in 23 boys, while 3 (14.2%) and 8 (38.1%) of the remaining 21 had daytime and nighttime frequency, respectively. Dysuria and incontinence were present in 11 (52.4%) and 12 (57.1%) patients, respectively. Urodynamics in 11 cases revealed a mean bladder compliance plus or minus standard deviation of 11.3+/-2.8 ml./cm. water. In boys with a voiding disorder mean serum creatinine increased after 5 years of followup. At 10 years after kidney transplantation mean serum creatinine was 140.3+/-36.0 and 285.7+/-36.2 micromol./l. in asymptomatic boys and those with a voiding disorder, respectively (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Valve bladder has a role in the deterioration of renal transplants in boys with posterior urethral valves. In those with a voiding disorder closer followup is needed, including urodynamic and radiological studies. Bladder dysfunction, such as hypocompliance and/or hyperreflexia, requires medical or surgical treatment.

Treatment of cystinuria.

Cystine urolithiasis is the only clinical expression of cystinuria, an autosomal recessive genetic defect of the transepithelial transport of cystine and other dibasic amino acids in the kidney. Stones form due to the increased excretion of cystine, which is poorly soluble at normal urine pH. Cystine stones are often resistant to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, so that percutaneous surgery or ureteroscopy are the preferred techniques of stone extraction. Medical preventative treatment is based on high diuresis (>/=1.5 l/m(2) per day) well distributed throughout the day and night, and urine alkalinization up to pH 7.5 by means of sodium bicarbonate and/or potassium citrate. When these basal measures are ineffective at preventing stone recurrence or dissolving pre-existing stones, sulfhydryl agents such as D-penicillamine or tiopronin, which form highly soluble mixed disulfides with cystine moieties, are to be added to urine dilution and alkalinization, especially when cystine excretion is in excess of 750 mg/day (3 mmol/day). Frequent clinical and ultrasound follow-up is needed to encourage patient compliance and assess efficacy and tolerance of treatment.

Diabetes mellitus in patients with infantile cystinosis after renal transplantation.

Diabetes mellitus is a frequent long-term complication of infantile nephropathic cystinosis. We studied 44 cystinotic patients, aged 22.1+/-5.4 years, transplanted at a mean age of 11.3+/-2.5 years; 25% were treated with insulin at 20 years of age or 10 years after transplantation, and over half required insulin at latest follow-up. In comparison, diabetes mellitus occurred in only 1% of non-cystinotic transplanted patients. Sequential oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) in these patients showed the progressive deterioration of glucose metabolism. All but 2 patients had an abnormal response at latest follow-up. The high doses of corticosteroid given after transplantation or during rejection episodes were responsible for transient insulin dependency. However, the development of impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus depended mainly on the cystinotic process, which developed slowly with time. The deterioration of glucose tolerance was correlated with a decreased early phase of insulin secretion, estimated from the plasma insulin level at 30 min of the OGTT, while there was no evidence of insulin resistance. The occurrence of diabetes mellitus correlated with a worsening of the vital prognosis.

Human herpes virus-8 and other risk factors for Kaposi's sarcoma in kidney transplant recipients. Groupe Cooperatif de Transplantation d' Ile de France (GCIF).

BACKGROUND: The exact reasons for the high incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) after kidney transplantation are still unknown. Immunosuppression is classically considered as the main risk factor, but the relative risk contributed by the patient's geographic origin and by human herpes virus (HHV)-8 infection still has to be determined. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective and a prospective study among kidney transplant recipients (TP) to identify the risk factors for posttransplantation KS. Each of 30 KS patients was matched with two controls to investigate the association with geographic origin, immunosuppressive regimen, HHV-8 antibodies before and after transplantation, and other infections. Among TP with new onset of KS, we prospectively evaluated HHV-8 serology and viremia in response to decreased immunosuppression. RESULTS: African and Middle East origins, past infection with hepatitis B, hemoglobin level <12 g/dl, lymphocyte count <750/mm3 at the time of diagnosis and initial use of polyclonal antilymphocyte sera were risk factors for KS. After multivariate analysis, origin in Africa or Middle East and use of antilymphocyte sera for induction remained as independent risk factors. Sixty-eight percent (17/25) of TP with HHV-8 antibodies before or after transplantation developed KS compared with 3% (1/33) of seronegative TP (P<0.00001). HHV-8 DNA was detectable in seven of nine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and in six of six KS lesions at diagnosis; it became negative in PBMC in three of five patients in parallel with tumor regression. CONCLUSION: African and Middle East geographic origins, HHV-8 infection before and after kidney transplantation, and initial use of polyclonal antilymphocyte sera were independent risk factors for KS. The presence of HHV-8 antibodies before or after transplantation was highly predictive of the emergence of posttransplantation KS and conferred a 28-fold increased risk of KS (odds ratio=28.4; 95% confidence interval: 4.9-279). Detection of HHV-8 DNA within PBMC and KS lesions seems related to tumor burden and evolution.

Renal transplantation in children with augmentation cystoplasty: long-term results.

PURPOSE: We assessed the long-term results of renal transplantation in children with augmentation cystoplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the complications and followup in 14 pediatric renal transplant recipients with augmentation cystoplasty. The etiology of bladder dysfunction included posterior urethral valves in 10 cases, neurogenic bladder in 3 and vesicoureteral reflux in 1. All transplants were cadaver donor kidneys. Mean patient age at transplantation was 12.1 years (range 5 to 18). Augmentation cystoplasty was performed before and after transplantation in 10 and 4 cases, respectively. Detubularized ileum was used in 5 cases, tubular ileum in 4, tubular sigmoid in 4 and stomach in 1. RESULTS: Of the 14 transplanted kidneys 10 (71%) were functioning at a mean followup of 80 months (range 12 to 151). Serum creatinine was less than 1.4 mg./dl. in 9 patients. Four grafts were lost to chronic rejection. The 5 and 10-year graft survival rates were 84 and 73%, respectively. Two patients with a functioning kidney died of causes unrelated to augmentation cystoplasty. Complications included symptomatic urinary infections in 4 patients, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis in 2, nephrolithiasis in the allograft in 2 and the hematuria-dysuria syndrome in 1. All patients were continent. CONCLUSIONS: Augmentation cystoplasty is a safe and effective method of restoring lower urinary tract function in the pediatric renal transplant population with a small noncompliant bladder.

Renovascular hypertension and vascular anomalies in Alagille syndrome.

Alagille syndrome (AS) is characterized by the association of at least three of the following five abnormalities: chronic cholestasis, peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis, vertebral arch defects, embryotoxon, and typical facies. In addition to urological abnormalities, tubulointerstitial nephritis, renal tubular acidosis, and mesangiolipidosis have been noted in AS. The usual manifestations of such renal pathologies rarely include hypertension. We report five patients with at least four of the five major features of AS who developed secondary hypertension of renovascular origin 3.5-28 years after the initial diagnosis of AS. Angiography demonstrated uni- or bilateral renal artery stenosis and various other abnormalities of the main arteries in all five patients: aorta (3 cases), celiac artery (4 cases), superior mesenteric artery (1 case), subclavian artery (1 case). Our findings underscore the value of arterial blood pressure monitoring in patients with AS. If hypertension occurs, a renovascular origin should be sought. The diffuse vascular abnormalities which appeared to be a feature of AS in these patients should prompt larger studies of vascular abnormalities in AS.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of renal artery stenosis in children.

Twenty percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasties were performed on 16 children (mean age 8.7 years) with hypertension secondary to renal artery stenosis (RAS). The aetiologies were neurofibromatosis (n = 1), Williams syndrome (n = 2), Takayasu arteritis (n = 1) and fibromuscular dysplasia (n = 12). The stenosis was isolated proximal or distal in 13 cases and multiple in 3 cases. Angioplasty resulted in a complete cure without medical treatment in 9 cases. Angioplasty allowed a reduction of medical treatment in two single stenoses, but was ineffective in all cases of multiple stenoses. Our findings show that angioplasty of RAS in children is an effective treatment when the stenosis is isolated, with a 69 % success rate. It seems ineffective in case of multiple stenoses (three cases).

[Cystic kidney diseases]. / Maladies kystiques rénales.

Among all inherited cystic kidney diseases, the commonest are polycystic kidney diseases, which include 2 diseases characterized by their pathological characteristics and their mode of inheritance, namely autosomal dominant or recessive. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is usually diagnosed in adulthood and is related at least to 2 different genes; PKD1 gene on chromosome 16 accounts for 85% of cases. This frequent disease (1 in 1,000 people) leads to end-stage renal failure in most patients at a mean age of 55 years. Renal ultrasonography allows its detection at an early stage, during childhood or adolescence, and even in utero in some cases. Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, related to a single gene mapped to chromosome 6, is a rare disease, usually diagnosed during infancy because of enlarged kidneys and hypertension. The early occurrence of advanced renal failure is uncommon and only 1/3 of patients require renal replacement therapy during childhood. The term "polycystic kidney disease" should be limited to these 2 diseases; however there are many other inherited conditions including renal cysts like tuberous sclerosis or Hippel-Lindau's disease in adults, and several malformative syndromes in children.

Cyclosporine in the therapy of steroid-resistant idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome with either minimal changes or focal and segmental glomerular sclerosis on initial biopsy is a severe condition as more than 50% of patients with the disease progress to end-stage renal failure within 10 years. We recently identified a distinct form of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance and were able to map the gene on the long arm of chromosome 1. The absence of recurrence of the disease after renal transplantation suggest a primary defect in a glomerular basement membrane protein. Several reports suggest that cyclosporine is effective in a proportion of patients with steroid-resistant idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, particularly when used in combination with corticosteroids. There are also data suggesting that high doses of cyclosporine may be necessary in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia. However, cyclosporine treatment should be carefully monitored in view of the high risk of nephrotoxicity, as shown by the results of repeat renal biopsies. The beneficial role of cyclosporine in recurrent steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome is still debated. Preliminary observations suggest that the early use of intravenous cyclosporine may be effective in these patients.

Long-term (15-25 years) outcome of childhood hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

The short-term prognosis of the "typical", "post-enteropathic" form of infantile HUS is usually good, with a complete recovery of renal function. However, the extent of the renal damage observed on some biopsies may raise concern for the long-term prognosis. Therefore, we studied the outcome of 29 patients affected with classical HUS in infancy or early childhood and followed-up for 15-28 years (m = 18 yrs). Initial renal symptoms ranged from a moderate renal failure with normal diuresis to a 12-day anuria: 21 children had to be treated by peritoneal dialysis. Twenty-five patients underwent a renal biopsy shortly after recovery: lesions of glomerular thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) were found in 14 patients, and patchy cortical necrosis was diagnosed in the other 11. At latest examination 10 patients had no renal abnormality, 12 had residual renal symptoms (hypertension in 7, proteinuria in 4 and midly reduced GFR in 1), 3 were in chronic renal failure (CRF), and 4 had reached end-stage renal failure (ESRF) 16-24 years after onset; 2 of these latter 4 had a normal GFR at 10-year examination. The long-term evolution was not correlated with the initial clinical severity but appeared well correlated with the extent of the histological damage: 10 of the 11 patients with cortical necrosis have either ESRF (4), CRF (3) or renal sequelae (3), and 4 of the 5 patients with TMA involving more than 50% of glomeruli present with moderate sequelae, whereas the 9 patients with TMA involving less than 50% of glomeruli are symptom-free or have mild sequelae. Thus, the risk of renal failure 20 years after a seemingly cured childhood HUS is not negligible, and renal histology is the best indicator of long-term prognosis.

Haemolytic uraemic syndrome: prognostic factors in children over 3 years of age.

Previous studies have shown that age at onset of primary haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) is a feature of prognostic significance, the disease being of much better outcome in paediatric patients younger than 3 years than in older children. In an attempt to find an explanation for such a difference, we analysed the clinical and pathological features of 42 children over 3 years of age who presented with HUS between 1955 and 1990 in our department. On the basis of the presence of a prodromal diarrhoea, we divided our patients into two groups: 21 children presented with the diarrhoea-associated (typical or D+) form of HUS, whereas 21 had the non-diarrhoea-associated (atypical or D-) form. Of the 42 children, 20 (47.5%) progressed to end-stage renal failure. However, our study shows that age at onset of HUS is not a prognostic feature per se. The difference in outcome between children and infants is most likely related to the high incidence of the atypical subset of HUS in children over 3 years, a subset that is very uncommon in infants. The ominous features which characterise this form of the disease are: (1) the absence of a diarrhoeal prodrome, (2) normal urine output, (3) marked proteinuria, (4) hypertension, (5) the occurrence of relapses or recurrences and (6) the presence of widespread and severe arteriolar changes on renal biopsy. The poor prognosis of the atypical form of HUS warrants the use of fresh-frozen plasma infusions and/or plasma exchange as early as possible in the course of the disease.