Acute kidney injury requiring dialysis in children: a multicentric, emerging country perspective.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a life-threatening condition, especially in extreme age groups and when kidney replacement therapy (KRT) is necessary. Studies worldwide report mortality rates of 10-63% in pediatric patients undergoing KRT. METHODS: Over 13 years, this multicenter study analyzed data from 693 patients with AKI, all receiving KRT, across 74 hospitals and medical facilities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. RESULTS: The majority were male (59.5%), under one year old (55.6%), and treated in private hospitals (76.5%). Sixty-six percent had comorbidities. Pneumonia and congenital heart disease were the most common admission diagnoses (21.5% and 20.2%, respectively). The mortality rate was 65.2%, with lower rates in patients over 12 years (50%). Older age was protective (HR: 2.35, IQR [1.52-3.62] for neonates), and primary kidney disease had a three-fold lower mortality rate. ICU team experience (HR: 0.74, IQR [0.60-0.91]) correlated with lower mortality, particularly in hospitals treating 20 or more patients. Among the deceased, 40% died within 48 h of KRT initiation, suggesting possible late referral or treatment futility. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the high mortality in pediatric dialytic AKI in middle-income countries, underlining early mortality and offering critical insights for improving outcomes.

Strategy to Enable and Accelerate Kidney Transplant in Small Children and Results of the First 130 Transplants in Children ≤15 kg in a Single Center.

BACKGROUND: Proper care of young children in need of kidney transplant (KT) requires many skilled professionals and an expensive hospital structure. Small children have lesser access to KT. METHODS: We describe a strategy performed in Brazil to enable and accelerate KT in children ≤15 kg based on the establishment of one specialized transplant center, focused on small children, and cooperating with distant centers throughout the country. Actions on 3 fronts were implemented: (a) providing excellent medical assistance, (b) coordinating educational activities to disseminate expertise and establish a professional network, and (c) fostering research to promote scientific knowledge. We presented the number and outcomes of small children KT as a result of this strategy. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-six pediatric KTs were performed in the specialized center from 2009 to 2017, being 130 in children ≤15 kg (38%, being 41 children ≤10 kg) and 216 in >15 kg (62%). Patient survival after 1 and 5 years of the transplant was 97% and 95% in the "small children" group, whereas, in the "heavier children" group, it was 99% and 96% (P = 0.923). Regarding graft survival, we observed in the "small children" group, 91% and 87%, whereas in the "heavier children" group, 94% and 87% (P = 0.873). These results are comparable to the literature data. Groups were similar in the incidence of reoperation, vascular thrombosis, posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. CONCLUSIONS: The strategy allowed an improvement in the number of KT in small children with excellent results. We believe this experience may be useful in other locations.

Cost analysis of substitutive renal therapies in children / Análise de custos de terapias renais substitutivas em crianças

Abstract Objective: End-stage renal disease is a health problem that consumes public and private resources. This study aimed to identify the cost of hemodialysis (either daily or conventional hemodialysis) and transplantation in children and adolescents. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort of pediatric patients with End-stage renal disease who underwent hemodialysis followed by kidney transplant. All costs incurred in the treatment were collected and the monthly total cost was calculated per patient and for each renal therapy. Subsequently, a dynamic panel data model was estimated. Results: The study included 30 children who underwent hemodialysis (16 conventional/14 daily hemodialysis) followed by renal transplantation. The mean monthly outlay for hemodialysis was USD 3500 and USD 1900 for transplant. Hemodialysis costs added up to over USD 87,000 in 40 months for conventional dialysis patients and USD 131,000 in 50 months for daily dialysis patients. In turn, transplant costs in 50 months reached USD 48,000 and USD 70,000, for conventional and daily dialysis patients, respectively. For conventional dialysis patients, transplant is less costly when therapy exceeds 16 months, whereas for daily dialysis patients, the threshold is around 13 months. Conclusion: Transplantation is less expensive than dialysis in children, and the estimated thresholds indicate that renal transplant should be the preferred treatment for pediatric patients.

Resumo Objetivo: A Doença Renal em Estágio Final é um problema de saúde que consome recursos públicos e privados. Nosso objetivo é identificar o custo da hemodiálise (hemodiálise diarias ou convencional) e transplante em crianças e adolescentes. Métodos: Uma coorte retrospectiva de pacientes pediátricos com Doença Renal em Estágio Final (DREF) submetidos à hemodiálise após transplante de rim. Todos os custos incorridos no tratamento foram cobrados e o custo total mensal foi calculado por paciente e por cada terapia renal. Então, foi estimado um modelo dinâmico com dados em painel. Resultados: Estudamos 30 crianças submetidas à hemodiálise (16 hemodiálises convencionais/14 hemodiálises diárias) após transplante renal. O gasto médio mensal para hemodiálise foi US$3,5 mil e US$1,9 mil para transplante. Os custos de hemodiálise somam mais de US$87 mil em 40 meses para pacientes submetidos a hemodiálise convencional (HC) e US$131 mil em 50 meses para pacientes submetidos a hemodiálise diária (HD). Por outro lado, os custos de transplante em 50 meses atingem US$48 e US$70 mil, para pacientes submetidos a HC e HD, respectivamente. Para pacientes submetidos à hemodiálise convencional, o transplante é menos oneroso quando a terapia ultrapassa 16 meses, ao passo que para pacientes submetidos a hemodiálise diária o limiar é cerca de 13 meses. Conclusão: O transplante é menos caro que a diálise em crianças e os limiares estimados indicam que o transplante renal deve ser o tratamento preferencial para pacientes pediátricos.

Cost analysis of substitutive renal therapies in children.

OBJECTIVE: End-stage renal disease is a health problem that consumes public and private resources. This study aimed to identify the cost of hemodialysis (either daily or conventional hemodialysis) and transplantation in children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of pediatric patients with End-stage renal disease who underwent hemodialysis followed by kidney transplant. All costs incurred in the treatment were collected and the monthly total cost was calculated per patient and for each renal therapy. Subsequently, a dynamic panel data model was estimated. RESULTS: The study included 30 children who underwent hemodialysis (16 conventional/14 daily hemodialysis) followed by renal transplantation. The mean monthly outlay for hemodialysis was USD 3500 and USD 1900 for transplant. Hemodialysis costs added up to over USD 87,000 in 40 months for conventional dialysis patients and USD 131,000 in 50 months for daily dialysis patients. In turn, transplant costs in 50 months reached USD 48,000 and USD 70,000, for conventional and daily dialysis patients, respectively. For conventional dialysis patients, transplant is less costly when therapy exceeds 16 months, whereas for daily dialysis patients, the threshold is around 13 months. CONCLUSION: Transplantation is less expensive than dialysis in children, and the estimated thresholds indicate that renal transplant should be the preferred treatment for pediatric patients.

Pediatric Chronic Dialysis in Brazil: Epidemiology and Regional Inequalities.

INTRODUCTION: There are few reports in the literature estimating the epidemiologic characteristics of pediatric chronic dialysis. These patients have impaired physical growth, high number of comorbidities and great need for continuous attention of specialized services with high demand for complex and costly procedures. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and prevalence rates and describe the characteristics of children and adolescents undergoing chronic dialysis treatment in a Brazilian demographic health survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in a representative sample of dialysis centers (nc = 239) that was established from the 2011 Brazilian Nephrology Society Census (Nc = 708). We collected data encompassing the five Brazilian macro-regions. We analyzed the data from all patients under 19 years of age. The sample population consisted of 643 children and adolescents who were on chronic dialysis program anytime in 2012. Data collection was carried out in the dialysis services by means of patients' records reviews and personal interviews with the centers' leaders. RESULTS: We estimated that there were a total of 1,283 pediatric patients on chronic dialysis treatment in Brazil, resulting in a prevalence of 20.0 cases per million age-related population (pmarp) (95% CI: 14.8-25.3) and an incidence of 6.6 cases pmarp in 2012 (95% CI: 4.8-8.4). The South region had the highest prevalence and incidence rates of patients under dialysis therapy, 27.7 (95% CI: 7.3-48.1) and 11.0 (95% CI: 2.8-19.3) cases pmarp, respectively; the lowest prevalence and incidence rates were found in the North-Midwest region, 13.8 (95% CI: 6.2-21.4), and in the Northeast region, 3.8 (95% CI: 1.4-6.3) cases pmarp, respectively. CONCLUSION: Brazil has an overall low prevalence of children on chronic dialysis treatment, figuring near the rates from others countries with same socioeconomic profile. There are substantial differences among regions related to pediatric chronic dialysis treatment. Joint strategies aiming to reduce inequities and improving access to treatment and adequacy of services across the Brazilian regions are necessary to provide an appropriate care setting for this population group.