Sylwester Prokurat

Presented recommendations are an extended and actualized version of paediatric recommendations of Polish Society of Hypertension published in 2015. Since then, new studies have appeared on this subject, introducing a new classification of hypertension, newly described principles of management in risk groups and methods of assessing hypertensive target organ damage. The presented updated recommendations included changes introduced in the 2016 European Society of Hypertension recommendation and Recommendations of Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw. Recently published guidelines of American Academy of Paediatrics have been discussed. In the presented issue of guidelines, epidemiological information on the occurrence and incidence of hypertension in developmental age was added and classification of blood pressure values was updated. Subchapters on diagnosis and organ damage assessment, principles of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in children with diabetes, chronic kidney disease and a subsection discussing diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties with setting blood pressure targets were revised. In addition, the principles of early diagnosis of arterial hypertension in post-hospital care in children born before 33 weeks of gestation published in 2018 as recommendations of the Polish Neonatal Society have been also taken into account. Presented recommendations are an extended and actualized version of paediatric recommendations of Polish Society of Hypertension published in 2015. Since then, new studies have appeared on this subject, introducing a new classification of hypertension, newly described principles of management in risk groups and methods of assessing hypertensive target organ damage. The presented updated recommendations included changes introduced in the 2016 European Society of Hypertension recommendation and Recommendations of Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw. Recently published guidelines of American Academy of Paediatrics have been discussed. In the presented issue of guidelines, epidemiological information on the occurrence and incidence of hypertension in developmental age was added and classification of blood pressure values was updated. Subchapters on diagnosis and organ damage assessment, principles of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in children with diabetes, chronic kidney disease and a subsection discussing diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties with setting blood pressure targets were revised. In addition, the principles of early diagnosis of arterial hypertension in post-hospital care in children born before 33 weeks of gestation published in 2018 as recommendations of the Polish Neonatal Society have been also taken into account.

SIOD is rare disorder related to SMARCAL1 or SMARCAL2 gene mutation, including (among other comorbidities) T-cell immunodeficiency, nephrotic syndrome, and renal failure. Up to 22% of primary patients may develop various autoimmune disorders. We report the case of 11-year-old male with SIOD, who presented ITP at 2 years after renal transplantation with decrease in platelet count (from normal) to 56 000/μL and then (gradually) to 2000/μL. There was no effect of iv. methylprednisolone/dexamethasone. As the presence of antibodies against GPIIb/IIIa, GPIb, and GPIaIIa platelet glycoproteins was confirmed, patient was given 50 g of IVIG and then was put on plasmapheresis; however, both showed poor direct effect. As we were afraid to give rituximab (due to expected overimmunosuppression), we prescribed the oral TPO-receptor agonist (eltrombopag). Patient responded after 17 days of therapy, to the final dose of 50 mg/d (approx. 2 mg/kg). The antiplatelet antibodies disappeared after four plasmapheresis. Overall, the therapy was continued for 7 weeks and was stopped at platelet count of 433 000/μL. Platelet count remained stable in 8-month follow-up. Combination of plasmapheresis and TPO-receptor agonist was effective in post-renal transplant acute ITP in patient with SIOD.

Pediatric patients with end-stage renal failure due to severe drug-resistant nephrotic syndrome are at risk of rapid recurrence after renal transplantation. Treatment options include plasmapheresis, high-dose of cyclosporine A/methylprednisolone and more recently—rituximab (anti-B CD₂₀ monoclonal depleting antibody). We report five patients with immediate (1–2 days) post-transplant recurrence of nephrotic syndrome, treated with this kind of combined therapy including 2–4 weekly doses of 375 mg/m² of rituximab. Only two (of five) patients have showed full long-term remission, while the partial remission was seen in two cases, and no clinical effect at all was achieved in one patient. The correlation between B CD₁₉ cells depletion and clinical effect was present in two cases only. Severe adverse events were present in two patients, including one fatal rituximab-related acute lung injury.

AHUS is a clinical challenge for successful renal transplantation. Case report: A 14‐yr‐old girl lost her kidneys at the age of 7, due to CFH antibodies and CFH‐related protein (CFHR1/CFHR3) homozygous deletion‐associated aHUS. CFH, CFI, and MCP gene mutations were excluded. The patient was a candidate for renal transplantation despite persistent presence of CFH antibodies (up to 539 AU/mL). Treatment with MMF, IVIG, and repeated PF (n = 8) was introduced while being placed on urgent waiting list. Three years after aHUS onset, the patient underwent the deceased donor renal transplantation “under cover” of PF, as PF was performed directly prior to surgery and, then, PFs were repeated up to overall 14 sessions. Quadruple immunosuppression (basiliximab + tacrolimus + MMF + prednisolone) was used. Moderate symptoms of aHUS (hemolysis, low platelets, and low C3) were present within first seven days post‐transplant and then normalized with PF therapy. The patient remained stable during four yr of further follow‐up after transplantation. Conclusion: Specific pre‐ and post‐transplant management allowed successful renal transplantation in a CFH antibody‐positive patient.

ABO incompatible liver transplantation is still controversial, but accepted in selected cases. Recently several authors reported use of the new technology aimed at elimination anti-donor ABO specific hemagglutinins to assist immunosuppression in preventing acute rejection after transplantation. We report two cases of liver transplantation in children with ABO incompatible graft under immunoadsorption protocol. Both patients were transplanted urgently (one due to acute decompensation of chronic liver failure and second due to acute liver failure) with ABO incompatible liver grafts. Both patients were in very poor general condition with deterioration of neurological status and there were no suitable ABO compatible grafts at the time. In both cases immunosuppressive protocol consisted of induction with basiliximab, followed by tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids. Additionally in both patients 3 immunoadsorption sessions with Glycosorb ABO® system (Glycorex AB, Sweden), were performed. There were no any acute rejection episodes till now. The only problem observed after transplantation was mild anemia due to low grade hemolysis in the postoperative period. Both patients are alive and well with very good liver function 20 and 26 months after transplantation. Immunoadsorption therapy can be safely and effectively introduced in recipients of ABO incompatible donor liver.

Immunosuppressant toxicity is a limiting factor for the efficacy and safety of long-term therapy. Whether it stems solely from drug exposure, remains unclear. Overall, 207 children and adolescents at the mean age of 11+/-4.4, with primary renal allograft were analyzed. Immunosuppression regimens included CsA or TAC, combined with AZA or MMF and steroids. Drug-specific toxicities were diagnosed by renal biopsy and/or clinical criteria. Genotyping for MDR1, CYP3A5, IL1B, IL1RN, IL-6, IL-10, MCP-1, TGFB1, CCR5, VEGF and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms was performed with the use of PCR and PCR-RFLP techniques. Nephrotoxicity was seen in 38.5% of patients treated with CsA and 29.5% - with TAC, while gingival hypertrophy was observed in 28% of CsA patients. Myelotoxicity was found in 3% of AZA-treated and 6.4% of MMF-treated patients. No significant correlation was seen between the patient's age, gender, type of pre-transplantation dialysis, donor age, graft origin or cold ischemia time, and the occurrence of drug-related toxicity. For CNIs, the drug exposure and the duration of treatment did not prove of significance either. TAC associated nephrotoxicity correlated with the CCR5 gene polymorphism, as the wt/32 genotype was found in 21% of patients with no detected toxicity (p<0.041) and in none of the nephrotoxicity cases. The presence of this genotype was also associated with significantly better graft function at 1 year post-transplant (GFR 115.104+/-28.40 vs 86.434+/-29.96; p=0.022). An association was seen between the MMF-induced myelotoxicity and the TNF-alpha G(-308)A polymorphism (p<0.005), but the MMF exposure was higher in patients who developed toxicity. Genetic background should be regarded one of the risk factors for immunosuppressant related toxicity in renal transplantation.

A total of 192 children and adolescents undergoing renal transplantation were randomly chosen to receive tacrolimus, azathioprine and corticosteroids (TAS, n = 93) or tacrolimus, azathioprine, corticosteroids and two doses of basiliximab (TAS + B, n = 99). Six-month outcome data have previously been reported; this manuscript reports the 2-year data. Complete 2-year data were available on 164 (85.4%) of the original 192 patients. There was a single death in the TAS arm. Kaplan–Meier estimates of survival free of graft loss at 2 years were 94.9% in the TAS + B arm and 89.6% in the TAS arm [hazard ratio (HR) 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17 to 1.54, P = 0.23]. Estimates of survival free from rejection at 2 years were 75.2% in the TAS + B arm and 68.7% in the TAS arm (HR 0.81; 95% CI 0.46 to 1.40, P = 0.44). The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at 2 years, was 65.8 ml/min per 1.73 m² body surface area in the TAS arm and 66.7 ml/min per 1.73 m² in the TAS + B arm (P = 0.78). Blood pressure and cholesterol levels were similar in the two arms, and there was no evidence of a difference in the incidence of infection or malignancy. These data provide further evidence of a lack of benefit associated with the addition of basiliximab to a TAS regimen for European paediatric renal transplant recipients at low immunological risk.