Bernabeu JQ, et al. - Autosomal recessive polycystic liver–kidney disease and primary hyperoxaluria are the main indications for liver–kidney transplantation in children. Herein, researchers report outcomes of liver–kidney transplantation in a cohort of pediatric patients. In children, liver–kidney transplantation afforded encouraging long-term outcomes, which were comparable with those obtained in isolated liver transplantation.

Methods

• All pediatric liver–kidney transplantations performed in researchers' center between September 2000 and August 2015, were retrospectively analyzed.
• Inpatient and outpatient medical records and transplant database were reviewed to obtain patient data.

Results

• According to data, during the study period, a total of 14 liver–kidney transplants were performed, with a median patient age and weight at transplant of 144.4 months (131.0–147.7) and 27.3 kg (12.0–45.1), respectively.
• Autosomal recessive polycystic liver–kidney disease (8/14), primary hyperoxaluria -1 (5/14), and idiopathic portal hypertension with end-stage renal disease (1/14) were the indications for liver–kidney transplants.
• Data also reported that median time on waiting list was 8.5 months (5.7–17.3) and all but two liver–kidney transplants were performed simultaneously.
• Patients with primary hyperoxaluria-1, as compared with patients transplanted for other indications, showed a tendency to present a delayed recovery of renal function (62.5 vs 6.5 days, respectively, P 0.076).
• In addition, patients with liver–kidney transplants vs patients transplanted with an isolated kidney transplant tended to present a lower risk of acute kidney rejection (7.2% vs 32.7%, respectively; P < 0.07).
• Researchers noted that patient and graft survival at 1, 3, and 5 years were 100%, 91.7%, 91.7%, and 91.7%, 83.3%, 83.3%, respectively.
• They also noted that no other grafts were lost.