Combined liver and kidney transplantation in children.
BACKGROUND
Preexisting renal dysfunction has been reported to significantly increase the morbidity and mortality associated with orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). OLT alone has been recommended for adults and children with end-stage liver disease and reversible causes of renal failure (i.e., hepatorenal syndrome), whereas combined liver and kidney transplantation (LKT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for adults with combined end-stage liver and kidney disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of LKT in children.


METHODS
Between October of 1984 and 1997, 385 children less than 18 years of age underwent OLT at the University of Chicago. During this same time period 12 patients underwent LKT. Data were gathered by retrospective review of the patients medical records and by interviews conducted with the patients' families.


RESULTS
Actuarial patient survival was comparable for children who underwent OLT alone and LKT (69% versus 67% at 5 years). All allograft losses in the LKT group were the result of patient death and occurred within the first 90 postoperative days. Factors associated with decreased patient survival included severity of illness as reflected by United Network of Organ Sharing status and LKT after failed OLT or cadaveric renal transplant.


CONCLUSIONS
In children with concomitant endstage liver and kidney disease, LKT can be considered an effective therapeutic option in selected patients. Long-term patient survival in patients undergoing LKT is comparable to that of patients with normal renal function undergoing OLT alone.
Section of Transplantation, University of Chicago and the Pritzker School of Medicine, Illinois 60637, USA.
H P
HP
Grewal
L
L
Brady
D C
DC
Cronin
G E
GE
Loss
C T
CT
Siegel
K
K
Oswald
J S
JS
Fisher
D S
DS
Bruce
A J
AJ
Aronson
E S
ES
Woodle
J M
JM
Millis
J R
JR
Thistlethwaite
K A
KA
Newell
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous