Background
The 2011 annual report of the North American Pediatric Renal Transplant Cooperative Study (NAPRTCS) registry comprises data on 6482 dialysis patients over the past 20 years of the ...registry.
Methods
The study compared clinical parameters and patient survival in the first 10 years of the registry (1992–2001) with the last decade of the registry (2002–2011).
Results
There was a significant increase in hemodialysis as the initiating dialysis modality in the most recent cohort (42% vs. 36%,
p
< 0.001). Patients in the later cohort were less likely to have a hemoglobin <10 g/dl odds ratio (OR) 0.68; confidence interval (CI) 0.58–0.81;
p
< 0.001 and height z-score <2 standard deviations (SD) below average (OR 0.68, CI 0.59–0.78,
p
< 0.0001). They were also more likely to have a parathyroid hormone (PTH) level two times above the upper limits of normal (OR 1.39, CI 1.21–1.60,
p
< 0.0001). Although hypertension was common regardless of era, patients in the 2002–2011 group were less likely to have blood pressure >90th percentile (OR 1.39, CI 1.21–1.60,
p
< 0.0001), and a significant improvement in survival at 36 months after dialysis initiation was observed in the 2002–2011 cohort compared with the 1992–2001 cohort (95% vs. 90%, respectively). Cardiopulmonary causes were the most common cause of death in both cohorts. Young age, growth deficit, and black race were poor predictors of survival.
Conclusions
The survival of pediatric patients on chronic dialysis has improved over two decades of dialysis registry data, specifically for children <1year.
Abstract Objective Urinary tract (UT) dilation is sonographically identified in 1–2% of fetuses and reflects a spectrum of possible uropathies. There is significant variability in the clinical ...management of individuals with prenatal UT dilation that stems from a paucity of evidence-based information correlating the severity of prenatal UT dilation to postnatal urological pathologies. The lack of correlation between prenatal and postnatal US findings and final urologic diagnosis has been problematic, in large measure because of a lack of consensus and uniformity in defining and classifying UT dilation. Consequently, there is a need for a unified classification system with an accepted standard terminology for the diagnosis and management of prenatal and postnatal UT dilation. Methods A consensus meeting was convened on March 14–15, 2014, in Linthicum, Maryland, USA to propose: 1) a unified description of UT dilation that could be applied both prenatally and postnatally; and 2) a standardized scheme for the perinatal evaluation of these patients based on sonographic criteria (i.e. the classification system). The participating societies included American College of Radiology, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, the Society for Fetal Urology, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the Society for Pediatric Urology, the Society for Pediatric Radiology and the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasounds. Results The recommendations proposed in this consensus statement are based on a detailed analysis of the current literature and expert opinion representing common clinical practice. The proposed UTD Classification System (and hence the severity of the UT dilation) is based on six categories in US findings: 1) anterior-posterior renal pelvic diameter (APRPD); 2) calyceal dilation; 3) renal parenchymal thickness; 4) renal parenchymal appearance; 5) bladder abnormalities; and 6) ureteral abnormalities. The classification system is stratified based on gestational age and whether the UT dilation is detected prenatally or postnatally. The panel also proposed a follow-up scheme based on the UTD classification. Conclusion The proposed grading classification system will require extensive evaluation to assess its utility in predicting clinical outcomes. Currently, the grading system is correlated with the risk of postnatal uropathies. Future research will help to further refine the classification system to one that correlates with other clinical outcomes such as the need for surgical intervention or renal function.
Background Critically ill children with hemodynamic instability and acute kidney injury often develop fluid overload. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has emerged as a favored modality in ...the management of such children. This study investigated the association between fluid overload and mortality in children receiving CRRT. Study Design Prospective observational study. Setting & Participants 297 children from 13 centers across the United States participating in the Prospective Pediatric CRRT Registry. Predictor Fluid overload from intensive care unit (ICU) admission to CRRT initiation, defined as a percentage equal to (fluid in L − fluid out L)/(ICU admit weight kg) × 100%. Outcome & Measurements The primary outcome was survival to pediatric ICU discharge. Data were collected regarding demographics, CRRT parameters, underlying disease process, and severity of illness. Results 153 patients (51.5%) developed < 10% fluid overload, 51 patients (17.2%) developed 10%-20% fluid overload, and 93 patients (31.3%) developed ≥ 20% fluid overload. Patients who developed ≥ 20% fluid overload at CRRT initiation had significantly higher mortality (61/93; 65.6%) than those who had 10%-20% fluid overload (22/51; 43.1%) and those with < 10% fluid overload (45/153; 29.4%). The association between degree of fluid overload and mortality remained after adjusting for intergroup differences and severity of illness. The adjusted mortality OR was 1.03 (95% CI, 1.01-1.05), suggesting a 3% increase in mortality for each 1% increase in severity of fluid overload. When fluid overload was dichotomized to ≥ 20% and < 20%, patients with ≥ 20% fluid overload had an adjusted mortality OR of 8.5 (95% CI, 2.8-25.7). Limitations This was an observational study; interventions were not standardized. The relationship between fluid overload and mortality remains an association without definitive evidence of causality. Conclusions Critically ill children who develop greater fluid overload before initiation of CRRT experience higher mortality than those with less fluid overload. Further goal-directed research is required to accurately define optimal fluid overload thresholds for initiation of CRRT.
Whole-exome sequencing (WES) finds a CKD-related mutation in approximately 20% of patients presenting with CKD before 25 years of age. Although provision of a molecular diagnosis could have important ...implications for clinical management, evidence is lacking on the diagnostic yield and clinical utility of WES for pediatric renal transplant recipients.
To determine the diagnostic yield of WES in pediatric kidney transplant recipients, we recruited 104 patients who had received a transplant at Boston Children's Hospital from 2007 through 2017, performed WES, and analyzed results for likely deleterious variants in approximately 400 genes known to cause CKD.
By WES, we identified a genetic cause of CKD in 34 out of 104 (32.7%) transplant recipients. The likelihood of detecting a molecular genetic diagnosis was highest for patients with urinary stone disease (three out of three individuals), followed by renal cystic ciliopathies (seven out of nine individuals), steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (nine out of 21 individuals), congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (ten out of 55 individuals), and chronic glomerulonephritis (one out of seven individuals). WES also yielded a molecular diagnosis for four out of nine individuals with ESRD of unknown etiology. The WES-related molecular genetic diagnosis had implications for clinical care for five patients.
Nearly one third of pediatric renal transplant recipients had a genetic cause of their kidney disease identified by WES. Knowledge of this genetic information can help guide management of both transplant patients and potential living related donors.
Nephrotoxic medication (NTMx) exposure is a common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized children. The Nephrotoxic Injury Negated by Just-in time Action (NINJA) program decreased NTMx ...associated AKI (NTMx-AKI) by 62% at one center. To further test the program, we incorporated NINJA across nine centers with the goal of reducing NTMx exposure and, consequently, AKI rates across these centers. NINJA screens all non-critically ill hospitalized patients for high NTMx exposure (over three medications on the same day or an intravenous aminoglycoside over three consecutive days), and then recommends obtaining a daily serum creatinine level in exposed patients for the duration of, and two days after, exposure ending. Additionally, substitution of equally efficacious but less nephrotoxic medications for exposed patients starting the day of exposure was recommended when possible. The main outcome was AKI as defined by the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) serum creatinine criteria (increase of 50% or 0.3 mg/dl over baseline). The primary outcome measure was AKI episodes per 1000 patient-days. Improvement was defined by statistical process control methodology and confirmed by Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) modeling. Eight consecutive bi-weekly measure rates in the same direction from the established baseline qualified as special cause change for special process control. We observed a significant and sustained 23.8% decrease in NTMx-AKI rates by statistical process control analysis and by ARIMA modeling; similar to those of the pilot single center. Thus, we have successfully applied the NINJA program to multiple pediatric institutions yielding decreased AKI rates.
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The incidence of nephrolithiasis continues to rise. Previously, we showed that a monogenic cause could be detected in 11.4% of individuals with adult-onset nephrolithiasis or nephrocalcinosis and in ...16.7-20.8% of individuals with onset before 18 years of age, using gene panel sequencing of 30 genes known to cause nephrolithiasis/nephrocalcinosis. To overcome the limitations of panel sequencing, we utilized whole exome sequencing in 51 families, who presented before age 25 years with at least one renal stone or with a renal ultrasound finding of nephrocalcinosis to identify the underlying molecular genetic cause of disease. In 15 of 51 families, we detected a monogenic causative mutation by whole exome sequencing. A mutation in seven recessive genes (AGXT, ATP6V1B1, CLDN16, CLDN19, GRHPR, SLC3A1, SLC12A1), in one dominant gene (SLC9A3R1), and in one gene (SLC34A1) with both recessive and dominant inheritance was detected. Seven of the 19 different mutations were not previously described as disease-causing. In one family, a causative mutation in one of 117 genes that may represent phenocopies of nephrolithiasis-causing genes was detected. In nine of 15 families, the genetic diagnosis may have specific implications for stone management and prevention. Several factors that correlated with the higher detection rate in our cohort were younger age at onset of nephrolithiasis/nephrocalcinosis, presence of multiple affected members in a family, and presence of consanguinity. Thus, we established whole exome sequencing as an efficient approach toward a molecular genetic diagnosis in individuals with nephrolithiasis/nephrocalcinosis who manifest before age 25 years.
Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome overwhelmingly progresses to ESRD. More than 30 monogenic genes have been identified to cause steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. We previously detected ...causative mutations using targeted panel sequencing in 30% of patients with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. Panel sequencing has a number of limitations when compared with whole exome sequencing. We employed whole exome sequencing to detect monogenic causes of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome in an international cohort of 300 families.
Three hundred thirty-five individuals with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome from 300 families were recruited from April of 1998 to June of 2016. Age of onset was restricted to <25 years of age. Exome data were evaluated for 33 known monogenic steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome genes.
In 74 of 300 families (25%), we identified a causative mutation in one of 20 genes known to cause steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. In 11 families (3.7%), we detected a mutation in a gene that causes a phenocopy of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. This is consistent with our previously published identification of mutations using a panel approach. We detected a causative mutation in a known steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome gene in 38% of consanguineous families and in 13% of nonconsanguineous families, and 48% of children with congenital nephrotic syndrome. A total of 68 different mutations were detected in 20 of 33 steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome genes. Fifteen of these mutations were novel.
,
,
, and
were the most common genes in which we detected a mutation. In another 28% of families, we detected mutations in one or more candidate genes for steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.
Whole exome sequencing is a sensitive approach toward diagnosis of monogenic causes of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. A molecular genetic diagnosis of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome may have important consequences for the management of treatment and kidney transplantation in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.
Objective To report circuit characteristics and survival analysis in children weighing ≤10 kg enrolled in the Prospective Pediatric Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (ppCRRT) Registry. Study ...design We conducted prospective cohort analysis of the ppCRRT Registry to: (1) evaluate survival differences in children ≤10 kg compared with other children; (2) determine demographic and clinical differences between surviving and non-surviving children ≤10 kg; and (3) describe continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) circuit characteristics differences in children ≤5 kg versus 5-10 kg. Results The ppCRRT enrolled 84 children ≤10 kg between January 2001 and August 2005 from 13 US tertiary centers. Children ≤10 kg had lower survival rates than children >10 kg (36/84 43% versus 166/260 64%; P < .001). In children ≤10 kg, survivors were more likely to have fewer days in intensive care unit prior to CRRT, lower Pediatric Risk of Mortality 2 scores at intensive care unit admission and lower mean airway pressure (Paw ), higher urine output, and lower percent fluid overload (FO) at CRRT initiation. Adjusted regression analysis revealed that Pediatric Risk of Mortality 2 scores, FO, and decreased urine output were associated with mortality. Compared with circuits from children 5-10 kg at CRRT initiation, circuits from children ≤5 kg more commonly used blood priming for initiation, heparin anticoagulation, and higher blood flows/effluent flows for body weight. Conclusion Mortality is more common in children who are ≤10 kg at the time of CRRT initiation. Like other CRRT populations, urine output and FO at CRRT initiation are independently associated with mortality. CRRT prescription differs in small children.