title: Current status of kidney transplant: update 2003.
abstract: Pediatric transplantation has seen remarkable advances over the past two decades with reduced morbidity and mortality, reduced rejection rates, and improved long-term patient and allograft survival. Infants currently have short-term patient and allograft survival rates better than any other age group; short-term allograft survival rates in CD recipients are equal to those in LD recipients. With decreased rejection, long-term allograft survival is improving dramatically. Transplantation allows for much reduced risks and improved metabolic status, growth and development, and more normal social interactions. The future of transplantation continues to be exciting, with opportunities for reduced immunosuppressive medications and their side effects, and the elusive goal of transplantation tolerance seems within reach.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Nephrology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Avenue S-ACC 516, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA. mbenfield@peds.uab.edu
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Benfield
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020246:Venous Thrombosis