Outcome of renal transplant in patients with abnormal urinary tract

A systematic review of kidney transplantation outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease due to childhood lower urinary tract malformations

PURPOSE

Patients with lower urinary tract malformations (LUTM) were suspended from kidney transplantation (KT) programs in the past due to various concerns. Consequently, only a limited number of studies have explored this topic at hand. In this study, our objective was to perform a systematic review (SR) to evaluate the current evidence regarding KT outcomes as well as patient survival (PS), postoperative complications and urinary tract infections (UTI) in individuals with childhood LUTM.

METHODS

The search encompassed databases of Web of Science, Medline (via PubMed), and Embase (via Scopus) to identify all studies reporting outcomes on KT for patients with LUTM. The research included articles published in English from January 1995 till September 2023.

RESULTS

Of the 2634 yielded articles, 15 met the inclusion criteria, enrolling a total of 284,866 KT patients. There was significantly better 5-year graft survival (GS) in recipients with LUTM compared to the control group (RR, 1.04; 95% CI 1.02-1.06); while GS at 1-year and 10-year, and PS at 1-year, 5-year and 10-year were similar between groups. On the other hand, the postoperative UTI rate was significantly higher in the LUTM group (RR: 4.46; 95% CI 1.89-10.51). However, data on serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate on follow-up were insufficient.

CONCLUSION

GS and PS rates appear to be similar in patients with childhood LUTM and those with normal lower urinary tract functions. Despite a higher postoperative UTI rate within this patient group, it appears that this has no effect on GS rates.

Kidney transplant to vesicostomy: A safe strategy for children with end stage renal disease and lower urinary tract anomalies

INTRODUCTION

Resolution of underlying urinary tract anomalies prior to kidney transplantation in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) secondary to uropathy, has been historically supported under the argument that this would help prevent infectious complications and graft loss. We propose to perform earlier kidney transplantation with a transient vesicostomy, deferring resolution of the uropathy to the post-transplantation period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of kidney transplantation in children with a vesicostomy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective, multicenter study was performed including all patients under 18 years of age who underwent kidney transplantation with a vesicostomy, between January 2005 and December 2020 and had at least one year of follow up. Data related with the indication and timing of vesicostomy, time until transplantation, post-transplantation complications, urinary tract infections (UTI) and graft survival rate were collected.

RESULTS

Of the 758 transplantations performed in the study period, 16 patients met the inclusion criteria. Mean age at transplantation was 58 months (range 20-151), and mean weight was 13.5 Kg (range 8.4-20). Mean time from vesicostomy to kidney transplantation was 30 months (range 0-70). There were 2 (12.5%) ureteral complications that required reoperation. Eighteen episodes of UTI were identified in 8 patients (50%), accounting for 0.4 UTIs per patient-year of follow-up. UTIs did not lead to graft loss in any of the cases. Urinary tract reconstruction was performed in 5 patients (31.3%) at an interval of 1-91 months post-transplantation. After a mean follow-up of 44.8 months (range 13-200) from transplantation, patients with vesicostomy had a mean creatinine clearance of 86.6 ml/min/1.73 m2, with a mean serum creatinine level of 0.6 mg/dl. Graft survival rate was 100%.

DISCUSSION

Early kidney transplantation into a vesicostomy permits a resolution of the ESRD, avoiding deleterious effects related to dialysis. With a low rate of UTIs, we found no graft loss due to infectious complications. This strategy permits careful planning and better timing for the urinary tract reconstruction without delaying kidney transplantation.

CONCLUSION

Kidney transplantation in pediatric patients with vesicostomy seems to be a safe and effective strategy. UTI rate was similar to that reported in the literature of patients with corrected urinary anomalies undergoing kidney transplantation without urinary diversion.

Clean Intermittent Catheterization in Children under 12 Years Does Not Have a Negative Impact on Long-Term Graft Survival following Pediatric Kidney Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUTs) are one of the most prevalent primary causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in young children, and approximately one-third of these children present with lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). Many children with LUTD require therapy with clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). CIC commonly leads to bacteriuria, and considerations have arisen regarding whether CIC in immunosuppressed children is safe or whether repeated febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) may lead to the deterioration of kidney graft function.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all cases of primary kidney transplantation performed in our center between 2001 and 2020 in recipients aged less than twelve years. The number of episodes of febrile UTIs as well as the long-term kidney graft survival of children undergoing CIC were compared to those of children with urological causes of ESRD not undergoing CIC, as well as to those of children with nonurological causes of ESRD.

RESULTS

Following successful kidney transplantation in 41 children, CIC was needed in 8 of these patients. These 8 children undergoing CIC had significantly more episodes of febrile UTIs than did the 18 children with a nonurological cause of ESRD (p = 0.04) but not the 15 children with a urological cause of ESRD who did not need to undergo CIC (p = 0.19). Despite being associated with a higher rate of febrile UTIs, CIC was not identified as a risk factor for long-term kidney graft survival, and long-term graft survival did not significantly differ between the three groups at a median follow-up of 124 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that, under regular medical care, CIC following pediatric transplantation is safe and is not associated with a higher rate of long-term graft loss.

5-Year Long-Term Outcome of Live-Donor Renal Transplant Recipients With Enterocystoplasty and Ureterocystoplasty: An Age- and Sex-Matched Pair Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess surgical complications, febrile UTI, graft function and 5-year graft survival after renal transplantation (RT) in patients with augmentation cytsoplasty (AC) and to compare them to RT patients with normal lower urinary tract.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A case-control study of 34 RT patients with AC including 23 patients with enterocystoplasty (EC) and 11 patients with ureterocystoplasty (UC) was performed. The primary outcome was to determine the difference between both groups regarding postoperative surgical complications and febrile UTI episodes. Graft function was compared at 1, 3, and 5 years and 5-year graft survival was determined. The secondary outcome was to compare them to an age- and gender-matched control group (122 patients) with normal lower urinary tract.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference regarding surgical complications or rates of hospital readmission between AC groups. Seventeen (73.9%) and 5 (45.5%) patients developed 33 and 14 episodes of febrile UTI in EC and UC groups, respectively (P= .5). Control group had shown lower incidence surgical complications (P = .001) and febrile UTIs (P = .02) compared to AC groups. At 3 and 5 years, UC had higher median eGFR than EC (P = .08, 0.008, respectively). The 5-year graft survival was 32 (94.1%) with no statistically significant difference between EC (95.7%) and UC (90.9%) (P = .5) or between AC and control (85.2%, P = .3).

CONCLUSION

Although RT after AC was associated with higher surgical complications and UTI episodes, they had comparable 5-year graft survival to their control. When indicated, UC should be the preferred choice of AC whenever possible.

Renal Transplant in Abnormal Bladder: Treatment Options and Their Effects on Graft Outcome

OBJECTIVES

Correction of structural urologic disorders and optimization of emptying and storage function of the bladder should be achieved before renal transplant in patients with abnormal urinary bladders to protect the new transplanted kidney. The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes of renal transplant among the differently treated abnormal bladder patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective study of 30 renal transplant recipients with abnormal bladders who were divided into 2 groups based on abnormal bladder management. Group A included 12 patients who required surgical procedures for their bladder, including 6 with augmentation cystoplasty, 1 with Mitrofanoff procedure, 2 with ileal conduit, 1 with vesicostomy, and 2 who required artificial urinary sphincter. Group B included 18 patients who were treated with oral anticholinergics or beta-3 sympathomimetic drugs, clean intermittent catheterization, suprapubic catheterization, or a combination of these options. Graft function, survival, and complications were compared between both groups.

RESULTS

Mean estimated glomerular filtration rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were higher in group A than in group B but not statistically significant. We also found no significant differences in graft survival between the 2 groups. Among all postoperative complications, only incidence of wound infection was significantly higher in group A than in group B (33% vs 5%; P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

The options of abnormal bladder treatment (either by surgical procedures or other methods of treatment) did not have an impact on graft outcome after renal transplant as long as a safe and suitable bladder was achieved.

Favorable Outcomes of Renal Transplant in Children With Abnormal Lower Urinary Tract

OBJECTIVES

Chronic kidney disease caused by lower urinary tract abnormalities is a significant complication in pediatric care. Although there are conflicting reports about clinical outcomes in the past, favorable outcomes have been reported in recent years. Despite this, many centers still refrain from performing renal transplant in these patients. Here, we compared clinical outcomes of renal transplant recipients with and without lower urinary tract abnormalities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our study included 71 renal transplant recipients who were divided into 3 groups: 17 patients with abnormal lower urinary tracts having vesicoureteral reflux (group 1), 7 patients with abnormal lower urinary tracts having bladder dysfunction (group 2), and 47 patients with anatomically and functionally normal lower urinary tracts (group 3). We retrospectively compared demographic features, clinical course, graft survival, pre- and posttransplant incidence of urinary tract infections, and final graft function among the groups.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences among groups regarding median age at time of transplant, graft survival, median creatinine level, and median glomerular filtration rate (P > .05). Significant differences were shown in incidence of urinary tract infections between patients in groups 1 and 2 (abnormal lower urinary tracts) and group 3 (normal lower urinary tracts) before transplant (P < .05). Although frequency of urinary tract infections in groups 1 and 2 were moderately higher than shown in group 3 after transplant, this difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the children with abnormal lower urinary tracts had slightly higher incidence of urinary tract infections, there were no differences between patients with abnormal and normal lower urinary tracts regarding allograft survival and function. In addition, proper follow-up of patients before and after transplant, based on our experience, should include educating patients and their parents about potential complications after transplant for the best outcome of renal transplant.

Kidney transplant in pediatric patients with severe bladder pathology

The aim of the current study was to compare results in pediatric renal transplantation of patients with and without SBP. Between 2001 and 2013, a total of 168 kidney transplants were performed at our center. A retrospective analysis was performed and recipients were divided into two groups: NB and SBP. Incidence of surgical complications after procedure, and graft and patient survival were evaluated. A total of 155 recipients (92%) with complete data were analyzed, and 13 recipients that had had previous bladder surgeries were excluded (11 with VUR surgery and two with previous kidney transplants), of the 155 recipients: 123 (79%) patients had NB, and 32 (21%) patients had SBP, with a median follow-up of 60 (1-137) and 52 (1-144) months, respectively. Among post-transplant complications, UTI (68.8% vs. 23%, p < 0.0001) and symptomatic VUR to the graft (40.6% vs. 7.3%, p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the SBP group. There was no significant difference in overall graft and patient survival between groups. Renal transplantation is safe in pediatric recipients with SBP; however, urologic complications such as UTI and VUR were significantly higher in this group. Graft and patient survival was similar in SBP and NB groups.