Collaboration of the Dutch centers for kidney transplantation in children started in 1997 with a shared immunosuppressive protocol, aimed at improving graft survival by diminishing the incidence of acute rejections. This study compares the results of transplantations in these patients to those in a historical reference group. Ninety-six consecutive patients receiving a first kidney transplant were treated with an immunosuppressive regimen consisting of mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine and corticosteroids. The results were compared with those of historic controls (first transplants between 1985 and 1995, n = 207), treated with different combinations of corticosteroids, cyclosporine A and/or azathioprine. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis was prescribed to high-risk patients in the study group, and only a small proportion of the reference group. The graft survival at 1 yr improved significantly: 92% in the study group, vs. 73% in the reference group (p < 0.001). In the study group 63% of patients remained rejection-free during the first year; in the reference group 28% (p < 0.001). After statistical adjustment of differences in baseline data, as cold ischemia time, the proportion of LRD, preemptive transplantation, and young donors, the difference between study and reference group in graft survival (RR 0.33, p = 0.003) and incidence of acute rejection (RR 0.37, p < 0.001), as the only factor, remained statistically significant, indicating the effect of the immunosuppressive therapy. In the first year one case of malignancy occurred in each group. CMV disease occurred less frequently in the study group (11%) than in the reference group (26%, p = 0.02). As a new complication in 4 patients bronchiectasis was diagnosed. A new consensus protocol, including the introduction of mycophenolate mofetil, considerably improved the outcome of pediatric kidney transplantation in the Netherlands, measured as reduction of the incidence of acute rejection and improved graft survival.

Increasing dialysis dose by introducing a daytime icodextrin dwell during a week does not affect peritoneal albumin loss, serum albumin, cholesterol and fibrinogen levels nor dietary intake on a short term. There is a significant increase in EAA and NEAA loss without change in plasma levels. We suggest monitoring dietary intake when adding a daytime icodextrin dwell in children.

The use of the online urea monitor has not been validated in children on hemodialysis. We compared online measured Kt/V(urea) and protein catabolic rate (PCR) with single- and double-pool Daugirdas formula (DF and eDF) based Kt/V(urea) and with protein intake derived from dietary records (DPI). In 8 children aged 8-18 years, 26 measurements were performed with the online urea monitor (UM 1000) with double-needle access. In 7 children, aged 4-14 years, 12 additional measurements were performed using single-needle dialysis. Pre-dialysis serum urea was determined by the monitor in equilibrated ultrafiltrate, obtained with ultrafiltration rates (UF) of 0.5 or 1.0 l/h, in 10 and 23 experiments respectively, and compared with the laboratory results. Urea determination in ultrafiltrate correlated well with blood sample urea: r=0.945 and 0.88 for UF rates of 0.5 l/h and 1.0 l/h, respectively. The correlation of online Kt/V with DF and eDF was 0.79 for double-needle and 0.21 for single-needle access. Bland-Altmann analysis showed a mean bias of 0.02 and 0.001, but levels of agreement of +0.3 and -0.3 for double-needle and +0.77 and -0.77 for single-needle dialysis respectively with DF. Maximum percentage error for double-needle access was 18% and 59% for single-needle access. The correlation of DPI with PCR was 0.5. A Bland-Altmann plot showed a mean bias of =0.22 with upper and lower limits of agreement of +0.55 and -0.1, respectively. Online urea kinetic modelling is feasible in children with double-needle hemodialysis only. Even with small dialyzers, an accurate serum urea measurement is obtained. PCR underestimates dietary protein intake.