Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29260318›Full record

ArticlePediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany)2018

The utility of surveillance biopsies in pediatric kidney transplantation.

Vikas R Dharnidharka, Neil Vyas, Joseph P Gaut, Leslie Walther, S Paul Hmiel

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Article in Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

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3citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Vikas R DharnidharkaDivision of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis-St Louis Children's Hospital, Room NWT 10-119, CB 8116, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA. vikasd@wustl.edu.
Neil VyasDivision of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis-St Louis Children's Hospital, Room NWT 10-119, CB 8116, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
Joseph P GautDepartment of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis-St Louis Children's Hospital, St Louis, MO, USA.
Leslie WaltherDivision of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis-St Louis Children's Hospital, Room NWT 10-119, CB 8116, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
S Paul HmielDivision of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis-St Louis Children's Hospital, Room NWT 10-119, CB 8116, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSurveillance biopsies (SBs) are performed in some pediatric kidney transplant programs, based on data obtained in earlier immunosuppressive eras that the treatment of subclinical acute rejection results in better graft survival. The benefit of SBs for patients on modern immunosuppression regimens is unclear. We have therefore evaluated the clinical utility of SBs in a population of children receiving a kidney transplant.

methodsWe have performed SBs at 3, 6 and 12 months post-transplantation as standard of care at our institution since 2013 in patients on a regimen of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin, tacrolimus, mycophenolate and rapid steroid taper (RST; steroids maintained in some exceptions). We reviewed pathology reports of 82 SBs from 34 transplants in 34 children for all abnormal findings and adequacy of specimens. Clinical records were reviewed for changes in management resulting from SB findings and for significant procedure complications.

resultsOf the 82 biopsies, 41 (50%) had abnormal findings separate from fibrosis, including five Banff Grade I rejections, ten borderline rejections, six calcineurin-inhibitor nephrotoxicity, four BK-virus nephropathy, five recurrent disease and three acute pyelonephritis. Moderate or more fibrosis was present in nine of the 82 (11%) biopsies. Management changes due to SB findings occurred in nine cases (11.0%). The proportion of abnormal findings or management changes did not differ between the RST or steroid-based groups. Patients performing clean intermittent catheterization showed inflammatory changes often read as rejection, but were managed differently. Three biopsies were deemed inadequate. No significant complications occurred.

conclusionsA high percentage of the SBs performed under modern immunosuppression showed abnormal findings even when fibrosis was excluded. However, management changes due to the SB findings were less frequent, although they occurred in a clinically meaningful percentage of cases. Complications or inadequate specimens were rare.

Indexed as

AdolescentAntilymphocyte SerumChildChild, PreschoolFemaleGlucocorticoidsGraft RejectionHumansImmunosuppressive AgentsKidneyKidney DiseasesKidney TransplantationMaleMycophenolic AcidRetrospective StudiesTacrolimusAntilymphocyte SerumGlucocorticoidsImmunosuppressive AgentsMycophenolic AcidTacrolimusthymoglobulinAcute rejectionBK virusKidneyPediatricsSurveillance biopsiesTransplant

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.