Prevalence of clinical rejection after surveillance biopsies in pediatric renal transplants: does early subclinical rejection predispose to subsequent rejection episodes?

Pediatr Transplant. 2009 Nov;13(7):823-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3046.2009.01200.x. Epub 2009 Jun 8.

Abstract

We analyzed rates of both SCR and CR in children receiving SB at three months post-transplant to determine if SCR predisposed patients to acute CR. Acute rejection was defined according to Banff criteria to include borderline classification or higher. All cases of SCR and CR were treated with anti-rejection protocols. Between October 2004 and July 2008, 89 SB were performed at three months post-transplant. Twenty-six cases of SCR were detected (29%). Sixteen patients experienced 22 episodes of biopsy-proven CR occurring after SB, including seven episodes following SCR and 15 after normal SB. The onset of CR varied from one to 27 months after SB and occurred at similar intervals for cases with SCR and normal SB. The percentage of patients remaining free of CR at 30 months post-transplant was similar in patients with SCR and normal SB. Renal function and graft survival at 30 months also were no different between patients with SCR and those with normal SB. Early-SCR, when treated with rejection protocols, is not a prognostic indicator for subsequent CR episodes.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Biopsy*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Complement C4b / metabolism
  • Fibrosis / pathology
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Graft Rejection*
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Kidney Transplantation / methods*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Prednisone / administration & dosage
  • Tacrolimus / administration & dosage
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Complement C4b
  • complement C4d
  • Prednisone
  • Tacrolimus