Fewer pre-emptive renal transplantations and more rejections in immigrant children compared to native Dutch and Belgian children.
BACKGROUND
In the Netherlands and Belgium, an increasing number of children who have end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are of non-Western origin. We analysed renal transplantation practices and outcome for immigrant ESRD children as compared to native children in both countries.


METHODS
All Dutch and Belgian children aged <19 years who received their first renal transplantation between 1 September 2007 and 1 January 2011 were included. Therapy characteristics and outcomes were registered prospectively on a 3-monthly basis. Immigrants were defined as children of whom one or both parents had been born outside Western European countries. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to quantify the hazard ratio for acute rejection.


RESULTS
One hundred and nineteen first renal transplant recipients were included, of which 41 (34%) were immigrants. Median [range] follow-up time of transplantation was 18 [2-28] months. Compared to native children, immigrants had pre-emptive transplantations (15 versus 32%, P = 0.040) and transplantations with a kidney from a living donor less often (24 versus 59%, P < 0.001). Survival analysis in 96 children with at least 3 months of follow-up showed an increased risk for acute rejection in immigrants adjusted for donor source, duration of dialysis and number of HLA mismatches on the DR locus [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 2.5 (1.1-5.9)].


CONCLUSIONS
Immigrant children receive fewer pre-emptive and living donor transplantations compared to native children. After transplantation, immigrant children are at higher risk for acute rejection irrespective of the mode of transplantation.
Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Emma Children’s Hospital Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. W.F.Tromp@amc.uva.nl
Wilma F
WF
Tromp
Karlien
K
Cransberg
Johanna H
JH
van der Lee
Antonia H
AH
Bouts
Laure
L
Collard
Rita
R
Van Damme-Lombaerts
Nathalie
N
Godefroid
Koenraad J
KJ
Van Hoeck
Linda
L
Koster-Kamphuis
Marc R
MR
Lilien
Ann
A
Raes
Nadejda
N
Ranguelov
Jaap W
JW
Groothoff
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D055815:Young Adult