Outcome of rituximab treatment in children with non-dialysis-dependent anti-GBM disease.

BACKGROUND: Anti-GBM disease is a rare vasculitis mediated by pathogenic antibodies against collagen IV. Anti-GBM disease presents with rapid progressive glomerulonephritis and leads to kidney failure if untreated. KDIGO recommends plasma exchanges (PEX) for antibody elimination and steroids plus cyclophosphamide (CTX) to suppress antibody production. CTX is associated with severe side effects including gonadal toxicity. Rituximab (RTX) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) might be a less toxic but equally efficient alternative to CTX. Studies in pediatric anti-GBM disease patients receiving RTX and MMF instead of CTX are lacking. METHODS: A retrospective survey in 8 tertiary German centers was performed. The clinical data of patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2022 were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Five adolescent patients treated with PEX and RTX and/or MMF due to anti-GBM disease were analyzed. All patients had anti-GBM antibodies, hematuria, glomerular proteinuria, and pulmonary hemorrhage. eGFR was 124 ml/min/1.73 m2 (range 47-162), and all patients were non-dialysis-dependent but with relevant histological kidney affection (mean crescents on kidney biopsy 77%). Antibody clearance was achieved after 13 PEX cycles (range 6-31). Four out of 5 patients received methylprednisolone pulses. All patients received oral prednisolone and MMF, and four patients received a median of 4 RTX doses (range 2-4). After a mean follow-up of 27 months, 4/5 patients had conserved or improved kidney function, while one patient (20%) developed kidney failure. CONCLUSIONS: In this small series of pediatric non-dialysis-dependent anti-GBM disease patients, first-line treatment with RTX and MMF showed a favorable kidney outcome in 4/5 cases and had an acceptable side effect profile.

Kidney transplantation in children and adolescents with C3 glomerulopathy or immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis: a real-world study within the CERTAIN research network.

BACKGROUND: Complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) are ultra-rare chronic kidney diseases with an overall poor prognosis, with approximately 40-50% of patients progressing to kidney failure within 10 years of diagnosis. C3G is characterized by a high rate of disease recurrence in the transplanted kidney. However, there is a lack of published data on clinical outcomes in the pediatric population following transplantation. METHODS: In this multicenter longitudinal cohort study of the Cooperative European Paediatric Renal Transplant Initiative (CERTAIN) registry, we compared the post-transplant outcomes of pediatric patients with C3G (n = 17) or IC-MPGN (n = 3) with a matched case-control group (n = 20). RESULTS: Eleven of 20 children (55%) with C3G or IC-MPGN experienced a recurrence within 5 years post-transplant. Patients with C3G or IC-MPGN had a 5-year graft survival of 61.4%, which was significantly (P = 0.029) lower than the 5-year graft survival of 90% in controls; five patients with C3G or IC-MPGN lost their graft due to recurrence during this observation period. Both the 1-year (20%) and the 5-year (42%) rates of biopsy-proven acute rejection episodes were comparable between patients and controls. Complement-targeted therapy with eculizumab, either as prophylaxis or treatment, did not appear to be effective. CONCLUSIONS: These data in pediatric patients with C3G or IC-MPGN show a high risk of post-transplant disease recurrence (55%) and a significantly lower 5-year graft survival compared to matched controls with other primary kidney diseases. These data underscore the need for post-transplant patients for effective and specific therapies that target the underlying disease mechanism.

Morphological changes and their associations with clinical parameters in children with nephropathic cystinosis and chronic kidney disease prior to kidney replacement therapy over 25 years.

BACKGROUND: Infantile nephropathic cystinosis (INC) is a rare lysosomal storage disorder, mostly and often firstly affecting the kidneys, together with impaired disharmonious growth and rickets, eventually resulting in progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). With the introduction of cysteamine therapy, most pediatric patients reach adulthood with no need for kidney replacement therapy. Still, detailed changes in INC patients' clinical and morphological presentation over the past decades have not yet been thoroughly investigated. METHODS: Two groups with a respective total of 64 children with INC and 302 children with CKD, both treated conservatively and aged 2 to 18 years, were prospectively observed in the time span from 1998 to 2022 with 1186 combined annual clinical and morphological examinations clustered into two measurement periods (1998 to 2015 and ≥ 2016). RESULTS: In INC patients, thoracic proportion indices remained markedly increased, whereas body fat stores remained decreased over the past 25 years (+ 1 vs. below ± 0 z-score, respectively). Their CKD peers presented with overall improved growth, general harmonization of body proportions, and improved body fat stores, while INC patients only presented with an isolated significant increase in leg length over time (∆0.36 z-score). eGFR adjusted for age did not significantly change over the past 25 years in both groups. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed a significant decrease in CKD patients over time, while remaining above normal levels in INC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Disproportionate thoracic shape and impaired body fat stores remain the most characteristic morphological traits in INC patients over the past 25 years, while causal mechanisms remain unclear.

Metabolic Acidosis Is Associated With an Accelerated Decline of Allograft Function in Pediatric Kidney Transplantation.

Introduction: We investigated the relationship between metabolic acidosis over time and allograft outcome in pediatric kidney transplantation (KTx). Methods: This registry study collected data up to 10 years posttransplant. Survival analysis for a composite end point of graft loss or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤ 30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or ≥50% decline from eGFR at month 3 posttransplant was performed. The association of serum bicarbonate concentration (HCO3 -) < 22 mmol/l (metabolic acidosis) and HCO3 - < 18 mmol/l (severe metabolic acidosis) with allograft outcome was investigated using stratified Cox models and marginal structural models. Secondary analyses included the identification of risk factors for metabolic acidosis and the relationship between alkali supplementation and allograft outcome. Results: We report on 1911 patients, of whom 347 reached the composite end point. The prevalence of metabolic acidosis over time ranged from 20.4% to 38.9%. In the adjusted Cox models, metabolic acidosis (hazard ratio [HR], 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54-2.60) and severe metabolic acidosis (HR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.56-3.99) were associated with allograft dysfunction. Marginal structural models showed similar results (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.32-2.31 and HR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.23-3.55, respectively). Older age was associated with a lower risk of metabolic acidosis (odds ratio [OR] 0.93/yr older; 95% CI, 0.91-0.96) and severe metabolic acidosis (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.95). Patients with uncontrolled metabolic acidosis had the worst outcome compared to those without metabolic acidosis and without alkali (HR, 3.70; 95% CI, 2.54-5.40). Conclusion: The degree of metabolic acidosis is associated with allograft dysfunction.

Favorable Outcome After Single-kidney Transplantation From Small Donors in Children: A Match-controlled CERTAIN Registry Study.

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation (KTx) from small donors is associated with inferior graft survival in registry studies, whereas single-center studies show favorable results. METHODS: We compared 175 pediatric KTx from small donors ≤20 kg (SDKTx) with 170 age-matched recipients from adult donors (ADKTx) from 20 centers within the Cooperative European Paediatric Renal Transplant Initiative registry. Graft survival and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were analyzed by Cox regression and mixed models. Detailed data on surgical and medical management were tested for association with graft survival. RESULTS: One-year graft survival was lower after SDKTx compared with ADKTx (90.9% versus 96.5%; odds ratio of graft loss, 2.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-7.80; P  = 0.032), but 5-y graft survival was comparable (90.9% versus 92.7%; adjusted hazard ratio of graft loss 1.9; 95% CI, 0.85-4.25; P  = 0.119). SDKTx recipients had an annual eGFR increase of 8.7 ±â€…6.2 mL/min/1.73 m² compared with a decrease of 6.9 ±â€…5.7 mL/min/1.73 m² in ADKTx recipients resulting in a superior 5-y eGFR (80.5 ±â€…25.5 in SDKTx versus 65.7 ±â€…23.1 mL/min/1.73 m² in ADKTx; P  = 0.008). At 3 y posttransplant, eGFR after single SDKTx was lower than after en bloc SDKTx (86.6 ±â€…20.4 versus 104.6 ±â€…35.9; P  = 0.043) but superior to ADKTx (68.1 ±â€…23.9 mL/min/1.73 m²). Single-kidney SDKTx recipients had a lower rate of hypertension at 3 y than ADKTx recipients (40.0% versus 64.7%; P  = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with ADKTx, 5-y graft function is superior in SDKTx and graft survival is similar, even when performed as single KTx. Utilizing small donor organs, preferably as single kidneys in experienced centers, is a viable option to increase the donor pool for pediatric recipients.

LMS-Based Pediatric Reference Values for Parameters of Phosphate Homeostasis in the HARP Cohort.

CONTEXT: The assessment of phosphate homeostasis in children is challenging due to the marked changes in laboratory parameters during growth and development, and the lack of adequate reference values. OBJECTIVE: To develop Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS)-based continuous pediatric reference percentiles for 7 key laboratory parameters of phosphate homeostasis. METHODS: This cross-sectional, single-center study, the HAnnover Reference values for Pediatrics (HARP) study, included 455 children aged 0.1-18 years (254 boys) from outpatient hospital clinics and a secondary school program. Main outcome measures were LMS-based continuous reference percentiles for serum phosphate, plasma intact fibroblast growth factor 23 (iFGF23), and its cofactor soluble Klotho (sKlotho), tubular maximum phosphate reabsorption per glomerular filtration rate (TmP/GFR), fractional tubular reabsorption of phosphate (TRP), and urinary calcium/creatinine (Ca/Crea) and phosphate/creatinine (Pi/Crea) ratios. RESULTS: LMS-based percentiles and z-scores were established for 7 key laboratory parameters of phosphate homeostasis, which were all found to be age-dependent. Serum phosphate, TmP/GFR, and sKlotho associated with sex. Serum phosphate, TmP/GFR, and urinary Ca/Crea and Pi/Crea levels were highest in infancy and declined until age 18 years, while phosphate and TmP/GFR values reached adult levels earlier in girls compared to boys. iFGF23 concentrations are highest in infancy and fall to a stable plateau by 4 years of age, while sKlotho peaks during adolescence. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of LMS-based continuous pediatric reference percentiles for key laboratory parameters of phosphate homeostasis that allow calculation of standardized patient z-scores to facilitate test result interpretation in children and adolescents.

LMS-based continuous pediatric reference values for soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (sRANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in the HARP cohort.

Soluble RANKL (sRANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are regulators of osteoclast differentiation and activation, but adequate pediatric reference values are lacking. Here we provide LMS (Lambda-Mu-Sigma)-based continuous pediatric reference percentiles for sRANKL, OPG and sRANKL/OPG ratio that will allow calculation of standardized patient z-scores to assess bone modeling in children. PURPOSE: Soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (sRANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are regulators of osteoclast differentiation and activation and thus bone metabolic turnover in children. Adequate pediatric reference values for their serum/plasma concentrations are lacking. The development of Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS)-based continuous reference percentiles for laboratory parameters allow improved data interpretation in clinical practice. METHODS: A total of 300 children aged 0.1-18 years (166 boys) were enrolled in the HAnnover Reference values for Pediatrics (HARP) study. sRANKL and OPG were assessed by ELISA. LMS-based continuous reference percentiles were generated using RefCurv software. RESULTS: LMS-based percentiles were established for sRANKL, OPG and sRANKL/OPG ratio, which were all found to be age-dependent. sRANKL and sRANKL/OPG associated with sex. In boys, sRANKL percentiles were highest during infancy, followed by a continuous decline until the age of 7 years and a second peak around age 12-13 years. In girls, a continuous, slow decline of sRANKL percentiles was noticed from infancy onwards until the age of 13 years, followed by a rapid decline until adulthood. OPG percentiles continuously declined from infancy to adulthood. The percentiles for sRANKL/OPG ratio paralleled those of sRANKL. Serum concentrations of sRANKL correlated with OPG and serum phosphate z-scores, while OPG concentrations inversely associated with standardized body weight, BMI, and urinary phosphate to creatinine ratio (each p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first report of LMS-based continuous pediatric reference percentiles for sRANKL, OPG and sRANKL/OPG ratio that allows calculation of standardized patient z-scores to assess bone metabolic turnover in children.

Physical activity and its impact on cardiovascular health in pediatric kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) morbidity after kidney transplantation (KTx) in childhood is of increasing importance. In light of a high prevalence of CV risk factors, protective measures such as physical activity (PA) come into focus. Our aim was to comprehensively assess PA in pediatric KTx recipients and evaluate its impact on CV health. METHODS: Forty-eight patients were assessed for frequency, duration, intensity, and setting of PA using the "Motorik-Modul" PA questionnaire. Walking-based activity was measured by accelerometer in a subgroup (n = 23). CV risk factors and subclinical CV organ damage were determined. The impact of PA on CV parameters was analyzed using linear regression models. RESULTS: Fifty-two percent of pediatric KTx recipients did not reach WHO recommended PA level; 54% did not engage in PA with vigorous intensity (VPA). Twenty-nine percent indicated an extremely inactive lifestyle (< 120 min/week of moderate to vigorous intensity PA, MVPA). Compared to the healthy German KiGGS cohort, KTx recipients specifically lacked engagement in sport activities (KTx: 129 min/week; 95%CI, 97-162 vs. KiGGS, 242 min/week; 95%CI, 230-253). VPA was associated with lower systolic blood pressure (p = 0.024) and resting heart rate (p = 0.005), MVPA with fewer components of the post-transplant metabolic syndrome (p = 0.037), and better left ventricular diastolic function (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: A considerable lack of PA, especially VPA, exists in young KTx recipients. PA was positively associated with important parameters of CV health. While long-term CV protection through PA seems promising in pediatric KTx recipients, specific educational approaches are most likely needed to increase patients' engagement in sport activities.

Cerebral microstructural changes in children suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome.

To evaluate microstructural cerebral changes in children suffering from typical hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) based on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. For 12 pediatric HUS patients (0.8 - 14.6 years of age) conventional magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) at 1.5 T was retrospectively analyzed. ADC values were measured in 35 different brain regions and compared with age-related, previously published ADC reference values from a healthy pediatric control group. The HUS cohort was divided into 2 subgroups depending on clinical outcome. Subgroup A showed poor neurological outcome whereas subgroup B demonstrated improvement without lasting neurological deficits. Qualitative analysis revealed lesions by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with hypointense correlate on the ADC map in basal ganglia and/or thalami and corresponding T2 hyperintensities in the majority of patients in Subgroup A (80%). Those in Subgroup B did not show qualitative DWI alterations with ADC correlate even when T2 hyperintense lesions were detected in basal ganglia and/or thalami. Quantitative analysis demonstrated abnormal ADC values in all HUS patients with a trend to a greater number of affected regions in Subgroup A compared to Subgroup B (16 versus 11 median number of regions respectively, p = 0.56).   Conclusion: Using DWI qualitative and quantitative differences were found between HUS patients showing poor neurological outcome and those without neurological deficits at discharge. While ADC values indicated more extensive cerebral changes than conventional qualitative findings, both may provide early prognostic indicators for neurological outcome in pediatric HUS patients. What is Known: • In patients with STEC-HUS and neurological symptoms, MRI may show hyperintense signals on T2 and altered diffusivity mostly affecting basal ganglia, thalami and periventricular white matter. What is New: • In such patients, early MRI including quantitative ADC measurements over different brain regions may allow for detection of signal alterations possibly reflecting microstructural changes in such patients.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on body mass index in children and adolescents after kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19) pandemic affected lifestyles and resulted in significant weight gain in the general population. Its impact on children after kidney transplantation (KTx) is unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated body mass index (BMI) z-scores during the COVID-19 pandemic in 132 pediatric KTx patients, followed-up at three German hospitals. Among those, serial blood pressure measurements were available for 104 patients. Lipid measurements were available from 74 patients. Patients were categorized according to gender and age group, i.e., children versus adolescents. Data were analyzed by a linear mixed model approach. RESULTS: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, female adolescents presented with higher mean BMI z-scores compared to male adolescents (difference: - 1.05, 95% CI - 1.86 to - 0.24, p = 0.004). No other significant differences could be observed among the other groups. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mean BMI z-score increased in adolescents (difference: male, 0.23, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.28; female 0.21, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.29, each p < 0.001), but not in children. The BMI z-score was associated with adolescent age, and with the combination of adolescent age, female gender, and the duration of the pandemic (each p < 0.05). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mean systolic blood pressure z-score significantly increased in female adolescents (difference: 0.47, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents in particular showed a significant increase in their BMI z-score after KTx. Additionally, an increase in systolic blood pressure was associated with female adolescents. The findings suggest additional cardiovascular risks in this cohort. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

The significance of central blood pressure for cardiovascular target organ damage in children and adolescents after kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) complications are important causes of morbidity and mortality in children after kidney transplantation (KTx). In adults, central blood pressure (cBP) is an accepted predictor of CV sequelae. We aimed to assess the prognostic value of cBP over peripheral blood pressure (pBP) for existing CV damage. METHODS: We measured cBP and pBP in 48 pediatric KTx recipients (mean age: 13.5 ± 4.2 years). Assessment of left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) allowed detection of CV target organ damage. LVMI and PWV were used as endpoints in multivariable linear regression models, in which cBP and pBP were compared for their predictive value. RESULTS: Using cBP z-scores, we identified a larger number of patients with uncontrolled or untreated hypertension compared to pBP (36% vs. 7%). Central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) was a significant independent predictor of LVMI, while peripheral systolic blood pressure (pSBP) was not. Comparing central (cDBP) and peripheral (pDBP) diastolic blood pressure for their predictive value on PWV revealed a greater estimate for cDBP (0.035 vs. 0.026 for pDBP) along with a slightly better model fit for cDBP. CONCLUSIONS: Our data in a small group of patients provide first evidence that cBP measurements in pediatric KTx recipients might be helpful in identifying patients at risk for the development of CV sequelae. Investigating a larger patient number, ideally repeatedly, is needed to create further evidence supporting our findings. In light of available devices measuring cBP noninvasively, the implementation of such clinical studies post-KTx care should be feasible. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Outcome of infantile nephropathic cystinosis depends on early intervention, not genotype: A multicenter sibling cohort study.

Infantile nephropathic cystinosis (INC) is an inheritable lysosomal storage disorder characterized by lysosomal cystine accumulation, progressive kidney disease, and multiple extrarenal complications (ERCs). Cysteamine postpones the onset of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and reduces the incidence of ERCs; however, cysteamine is generally initiated upon establishment of the renal Fanconi syndrome (FS) and partial loss of kidney function, whereas data on long-term effects of cysteamine administered from neonatal age are lacking. An international multicenter retrospective cohort study of siblings with INC was set up to investigate the outcome in relation to age at initiation of cysteamine versus CTNS genotype, with attention to patients treated with cysteamine from neonatal age. None of the siblings treated from neonatal age (n = 9; age 10 ± 6 years) had reached ESKD, while 22% of their index counterparts (n = 9; age 14 ± 5 years) had commenced renal replacement therapy. Siblings treated with cysteamine from the onset of symptoms at a younger age compared with their index counterparts, reached ESKD at a significant older age (13 ± 3 vs. 10 ± 3 years, p = 0.002). In contrast, no significant difference in ERCs was observed between sibling and index patients, independently from the age at initiation of cysteamine. The CTNS genotype had no impact on the overall outcome in this cohort. In INC, presymptomatic treatment with cysteamine results in a better renal outcome in comparison to treatment initiated from the onset of symptoms. This justifies including cystinosis into newborn screening programs. SYNOPSIS: In infantile nephropathic cystinosis, presymptomatic treatment with cysteamine improves the renal outcome which justifies the inclusion of cystinosis into newborn screening programs.

Safety of Therapeutic Apheresis in Children and Adolescents.

Background: Therapeutic apheresis (TA) is based on the principles of either removing dissolved pathogenic substances (e.g., antibodies) from the blood plasma or replacing plasma factors. It expands the therapeutic scope for a variety of diseases. Safety analysis in the pediatric field are scant. The aim of this analysis was to analyze specific complications of TA modalities - plasma exchange (PE) and immunoadsorption (IA) - in children and adolescents. Methods: Children and adolescents (n = 298) who had received TA from 2008 to 2018 in five pediatric nephrology centers were analyzed retrospectively. In total, 4.004 treatments (2.287 PE and 1.717 IA) were evaluated. Results: Indications for TA were mainly nephrological and neurological diseases. The three main indications were antibody-mediated graft rejection (13.4%), hemolytic uremic syndrome mainly with neurological involvement (12.8%), and AB0-incompatible transplantation (11.7%). Complications developed in 440 of the 4004 sessions (11%), of which one third were non-specific (nausea, headache). IA was better tolerated than PE. Complications were reported in 9.5% (n = 163) of the IA versus 12.1% (277) of the PE sessions (p < 0.001). When considering different types of complications, significantly more non-specific/non-allergic events (p = 0.02) and allergic reactions occurred in PE sessions (p < 0.001). More complications occurred with PE, when using fresh frozen plasma (16.2%; n = 145) in comparison to human albumin (14.5%; n = 115) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Therapeutic apheresis in childhood and adolescence is a safe treatment procedure. IA showed a lower complication rate than PE. Therefore, IA may be preferably provided if the underlying disease pathomechanisms do not require PE.

Body growth, upper arm fat area, and clinical parameters in children with nephropathic cystinosis compared with other pediatric chronic kidney disease entities.

Children with infantile nephropathic cystinosis (INC), an inherited lysosomal storage disease resulting in cystine accumulation in all body cells, are prone to progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD), impaired growth and reduced weight gain; however, systematic anthropometric analyses are lacking. In this prospective multicenter study we investigated linear growth, body proportion, body mass index (BMI), upper arm fat area (UFA) and biochemical parameters in 43 pediatric INC patients with CKD stages 1 to 5 and 49 age-matched CKD controls, with 193 annual measurements. INC patients showed more impaired height than CKD controls (-1.8 vs -0.7 z-score; P < .001), despite adequate cysteamine therapy, treatment for Fanconi syndrome and more frequent use of growth hormone. Only the youngest INC patients shared the same body pattern with CKD controls characterized by preferential impairment of leg length and rather preserved trunk length. In late-prepuberty, body pattern changed only in INC patients due to improved leg growth and more impaired trunk length. Mean UFA z-score in INC patients was slightly reduced in early childhood and progressively decreased thereafter reaching -0.8 z-score in adolescence, while CKD controls showed a steady increase in standardized BMI and UFA especially during adolescent age. Menarche in female INC patients was significantly delayed compared to CKD controls. Our data indicate that with age and progression of disease, pediatric INC patients undergo unique changes of body growth and fat stores that are distinct from those with CKD stemming from other causes, suggesting other factors apart from CKD to contribute to this development. Pediatric patients with infantile nephropathic cystinosis display more severe impaired linear growth than other peer CKD patients, despite of cysteamine treatment, supplementation for Fanconi syndrome, and more frequent use of growth hormone, with a distinct change of body proportions and overall lower body fat.

Course of renal allograft function after diagnosis and treatment of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders in pediatric kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a life-threatening complication in renal transplant recipients. Immunomodulatory and chemotherapeutic treatment potentially affect allograft function. The aim of this study was to evaluate graft function of pediatric kidney transplant recipients following diagnosis and standardized treatment of PTLD. METHODS: Patients were identified from the German Ped-PTLD registry, and data on renal function were retrospectively retrieved from patient charts. For PTLD treatment, immunosuppressive therapy was reduced and all children received rituximab (375 mg/m2 ) for up to six doses. Two patients required additional low-dose chemotherapy. Renal allograft function was monitored by consecutive measurements of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at defined time points. Follow-up was up to 60 months after PTLD. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included in this cohort analysis. Median time from transplantation to PTLD was 2.4 years. Histopathology showed monomorphic lesions in 16 and polymorphic in 4 patients. Two patients experienced PTLD relapse after 2 and 14 months. Range-based analysis of variance showed stable allograft function in 17 of 20 patients (85%). Mean eGFR increased during early treatment phase. One patient experienced graft rejection 5.3 years after diagnosis of PTLD. Another patient developed recurrence of primary renal disease (focal-segmental glomerulosclerosis) and lost his renal allograft 3.8 years post-transplant (2.0 years after PTLD diagnosis). CONCLUSION: Treatment of PTLD with rituximab with or without low-dose chemotherapy in combination with reduced immunosuppression, mostly comprising of an mTOR inhibitor-based, calcineurin inhibitor-free regimen, is associated with stable graft function and favorable graft survival in pediatric renal transplant patients.

The role of protocol biopsies after pediatric kidney transplantation.

Data on protocol biopsies (PBs) after pediatric kidney transplantation are rare.We evaluated 6-month post-transplantation renal function in 86 children after PB as observational study. Patients were divided into 3 groups:Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and delta GFR were determined.PBs 6 months post-kidney transplantation did not influence the clinical course in stable pediatric patients and are therefore of questionable value. Decreased kidney function may however be stabilized by therapeutic intervention according to results of PB.

Urinary proteomics to diagnose chronic active antibody-mediated rejection in pediatric kidney transplantation - a pilot study.

Chronic antibody-mediated rejection (cABMR) is the main cause of long-term renal graft loss. Late-stage diagnosis is made by detecting donor-specific antibodies (DSA) in blood combined with typical histomorphological lesions in renal allografts. There is a need for noninvasive biomarkers for cABMR that might permit screening and earlier diagnosis. In a case control study of 24 pediatric renal transplant recipients, urine samples were analyzed using capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Patients were matched with 36 pediatric renal transplant patients without cABMR. Statistical analysis used the nonparametric Wilcoxon test to identify 79 significant biomarkers, which were combined to a support vector machine-based classifier. After validation in an independent test cohort of eight pediatric patients with and 12 without cABMR, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for detection of cABMR was 0.92 (95% CI 0.71-0.99) with a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 63-100%) and a specificity of 75% (95% CI 43-95%). Combining this classifier with the urinary proteomic marker CKD273 improved the detection of patients with cABMR with misclassification in only 2/20 of the patients. These data indicate that a biomarker pattern derived from urinary proteomics allows the detection of cABMR in pediatric renal transplant recipients with high sensitivity and moderate specificity.

Correction to: Rabbit anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin for the rescue treatment of chronic antibody-mediated rejection after pediatric kidney transplantation.

The article "Rabbit anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin for the rescue treatment of chronic antibody-mediated rejection after pediatric kidney transplantation", written by Yasemen Cihan, Nele Kanzelmeyer, Jens Drube, Martin Kreuzer, Christian Lerch, Imke Hennies, Kerstin Froede, Murielle Verboom.

Graft outcomes following diagnosis of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in pediatric kidney recipients: a retrospective study.

Data related to graft outcomes following post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) in pediatric kidney transplantation are scarce. Data were analyzed retrospectively from 12 children (eight boys) for 3 years after diagnosis of PTLD, with a loss of follow-up after 2 years in two of 12. In all cases, intensity of immunosuppressive therapy was reduced, which switched from calcineurin inhibitor to a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor in ten cases. Nine children were treated with six doses of rituximab according to the PED-PTLD-2005 protocol, with additional treatment in one child as per protocol. One patient received EuroNet-PHL C1. In four patients, donor-specific antibodies were detected after PTLD diagnosis at 3, 4, 5 and 7 years, respectively. One patient developed chronic antibody-mediated rejection (cAMR) 12 years after diagnosis, losing the graft 1 year later. Three patients with recurrence of the original disease also lost their grafts, one at the time of diagnosis of PTLD, and two after 4 years. Range-based analysis of variance showed that there was no decrease in estimated GFR at 1, 2, or 3 years after diagnosis of PTLD (P = 0.978). In conclusion, treatment of PTLD with reduced immunosuppression is safe and efficient. This may be due to B-cell-depleting therapy of PTLD with rituximab.

Factors associated with cardiovascular target organ damage in children after renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the second-most common cause of death in pediatric renal transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to evaluate subclinical cardiovascular target organ damage defined as the presence of arterio- and atherosclerotic lesions and cardiac remodeling and to analyze contributing risk factors in a large cohort of children after renal transplantation (RT). METHODS: A total of 109 children aged 13.1 ± 3.3 years who had undergone RT at one of three German transplant centers were enrolled in this study. Patients had been transplanted a mean of 5.5 (±4.0) years prior to being enrolled in the study. Anthropometric data, laboratory values and office- and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) were evaluated. Cardiovascular target organ damage was determined through non-invasive measurements of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and left ventricular mass (LVM). RESULTS: Elevated PWV or IMT values were detected in 22 and 58% of patients, respectively. Left ventricular hypertrophy was found in as many as 43% of patients. The prevalence of uncontrolled or untreated hypertension was 41%, of which 16% of cases were only detected by ABPM measurements. In the multivariable analysis, higher diastolic blood pressure, everolimus intake and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate were independently associated with high PWV. Higher systolic blood pressure and body mass index were associated with elevated LVM. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed an alarming burden of cardiovascular subclinical organ damage in children after RT. Hypertension, obesity, immunosuppressive regimen and renal function emerged as independent risk factors of organ damage. Whereas the latter is not modifiable, the results of our study strongly indicate that the management of children after RT should focus on the control of blood pressure and weight.