Abstract
Survival of pediatric kidney transplant recipients has improved over the past six decades. However, adolescents and young adults still have the highest graft failure rates of any age group. There is a growing need for well-designed transition programs to ensure the successful integration of young adults into adult society with eventual transfer of care and management in adult transplant centers. In this review, we discuss the risk factors contributing to the high risk of kidney graft failure observed between 17 and 24 years of age, including the role of transfer from pediatric to adult care. We also address the unique challenges of adolescents with kidney transplant: the impact of chronic kidney disease on neurocognition, age-related changes in immune activity, and suboptimal adherence during the transition process. We then describe strategies to mitigate these risks by designing developmentally appropriate transition programs, and review the evidence supporting the benefits of well-designed multidisciplinary transition programs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Verghese PS (2017) Pediatric kidney transplantation: a historical review. Pediatr Res 81:259–264
Bonthuis M, Vidal E, Bjerre A, Aydog O, Baiko S, Garneata L, Guzzo I, Heaf JG, Jahnukainen T, Lilien M, Mallett T, Mirescu G, Mochanova EA, Nusken E, Rascher K, Roussinov D, Szczepanska M, Tsimaratos M, Varvara A, Verrina E, Veselinovic B, Jager KJ, Harambat J (2021) Ten-year trends in epidemiology and outcomes of pediatric kidney replacement therapy in Europe: data from the ESPN/ERA-EDTA Registry. Pediatr Nephrol 36:2337–2348
United States Renal Data System (2018) 2018 USRDS annual data report: epidemiology of kidney disease in the United States. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
(2018) ANZDATA Registry. 41st report, chapter 11: pediatric patients with end stage kidney disease requiring renal replacement therapy. Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry, Adelaide
Francis A, Johnson DW, Melk A, Foster BJ, Blazek K, Craig JC, Wong G (2020) Survival after kidney transplantation during childhood and adolescence. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 15:392–400
Wasik HL, Pruette CS, Ruebner RL, McAdams-DeMarco MA, Zhou S, Neu AM, Segev DL, Massie AB (2019) A donor risk index for graft loss in pediatric living donor kidney transplantation. Am J Transplant 19:2775–2782
Foster BJ, Dahhou M, Zhang X, Platt RW, Samuel SM, Hanley JA (2011) Association between age and graft failure rates in young kidney transplant recipients. Transplantation 92:1237–1243
Van Arendonk KJ, James NT, Boyarsky BJ, Garonzik-Wang JM, Orandi BJ, Magee JC, Smith JM, Colombani PM, Segev DL (2013) Age at graft loss after pediatric kidney transplantation: exploring the high-risk age window. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 8:1019–1026
Pankhurst T, Evison F, Mytton J, Williamson S, Kerecuk L, Lipkin G (2020) Young adults have worse kidney transplant outcomes than other age groups. Nephrol Dial Transplant 35:1043–1051
Watson AR (2000) Non-compliance and transfer from paediatric to adult transplant unit. Pediatr Nephrol 14:469–472
Bell LE, Bartosh SM, Davis CL, Dobbels F, Al-Uzri A, Lotstein D, Reiss J, Dharnidharka VR (2008) Adolescent transition to adult care in solid organ transplantation: a consensus conference report. Am J Transplant 8:2230–2242
Foster BJ, Platt RW, Dahhou M, Zhang X, Bell LE, Hanley JA (2011) The impact of age at transfer from pediatric to adult-oriented care on renal allograft survival. Pediatr Transplant 15:750–759
Prestidge C, Romann A, Djurdjev O, Matsuda-Abedini M (2012) Utility and cost of a renal transplant transition clinic. Pediatr Nephrol 27:295–302
Keith DS, Vranic G, Barcia J, Norwood V, Nishio-Lucar A (2017) Longitudinal analysis of living donor kidney transplant rates in pediatric candidates in the United States. Pediatr Transplant 21(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/petr.12859
Koenig CJ, Maguen S, Daley A, Cohen G, Seal KH (2013) Passing the baton: a grounded practical theory of handoff communication between multidisciplinary providers in two Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient settings. J Gen Intern Med 28:41–50
King BJ, Gilmore-Bykovskyi AL, Roiland RA, Polnaszek BE, Bowers BJ, Kind AJ (2013) The consequences of poor communication during transitions from hospital to skilled nursing facility: a qualitative study. J Am Geriatr Soc 61:1095–1102
Dabirzadeh A, Dahhou M, Zhang X, Sapir-Pichhadze R, Cardinal H, White M, Johnston O, Blydt-Hansen TD, Tibbles LA, Hamiwka L, Urschel S, Birk P, Bissonnette J, Matsuda-Abedini M, Harrison J, Schiff J, Phan V, De Geest S, Allen U, Mital S, Foster BJ (2021) Care processes and structures associated with higher medication adherence in adolescent and young adult transplant recipients. Pediatr Transplant 25:e14106
Foster BJ (2015) Heightened graft failure risk during emerging adulthood and transition to adult care. Pediatr Nephrol 30:567–576
Gogtay N, Giedd JN, Lusk L, Hayashi KM, Greenstein D, Vaituzis AC, Nugent TF 3rd, Herman DH, Clasen LS, Toga AW, Rapoport JL, Thompson PM (2004) Dynamic mapping of human cortical development during childhood through early adulthood. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101:8174–8179
Giedd JN, Rapoport JL (2010) Structural MRI of pediatric brain development: what have we learned and where are we going? Neuron 67:728–734
Casey BJ, Jones RM, Hare TA (2008) The adolescent brain. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1124:111–126
Hooper SR, Gerson AC, Butler RW, Gipson DS, Mendley SR, Lande MB, Shinnar S, Wentz A, Matheson M, Cox C, Furth SL, Warady BA (2011) Neurocognitive functioning of children and adolescents with mild-to-moderate chronic kidney disease. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 6:1824–1830
Whiting CC, Siebert J, Newman AM, Du HW, Alizadeh AA, Goronzy J, Weyand CM, Krishnan E, Fathman CG, Maecker HT (2015) Large-scale and comprehensive immune profiling and functional analysis of normal human aging. PLoS One 10:e0133627
Klein SL, Marriott I, Fish EN (2015) Sex-based differences in immune function and responses to vaccination. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 109:9–15
Shearer WT, Rosenblatt HM, Gelman RS, Oyomopito R, Plaeger S, Stiehm ER, Wara DW, Douglas SD, Luzuriaga K, McFarland EJ, Yogev R, Rathore MH, Levy W, Graham BL, Spector SA, Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group (2003) Lymphocyte subsets in healthy children from birth through 18 years of age: the Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group P1009 study. J Allergy Clin Immunol 112:973–980
Weng NP (2006) Aging of the immune system: how much can the adaptive immune system adapt? Immunity 24:495–499
Wikby A, Mansson IA, Johansson B, Strindhall J, Nilsson SE (2008) The immune risk profile is associated with age and gender: findings from three Swedish population studies of individuals 20–100 years of age. Biogerontology 9:299–308
Kverneland AH, Streitz M, Geissler E, Hutchinson J, Vogt K, Boes D, Niemann N, Pedersen AE, Schlickeiser S, Sawitzki B (2016) Age and gender leucocytes variances and references values generated using the standardized ONE-Study protocol. Cytometry A 89:543–564
Maenosono R, Nian Y, Iske J, Liu Y, Minami K, Rommel T, Martin F, Abdi R, Azuma H, Rosner BA, Zhou H, Milford E, Elkhal A, Tullius SG (2021) Recipient sex and estradiol levels affect transplant outcomes in an age-specific fashion. Am J Transplant 21:3239–3255
Lepeytre F, Dahhou M, Zhang X, Boucquemont J, Sapir-Pichhadze R, Cardinal H, Foster BJ (2017) Association of sex with risk of kidney graft failure differs by age. J Am Soc Nephrol 28:3014–3023
Vaks Y, Bensen R, Steidtmann D, Wang TD, Platchek TS, Zulman DM, Malcolm E, Milstein A (2016) Better health, less spending: redesigning the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare for youth with chronic illness. Healthc (Amst) 4:57–68
Harden PN, Walsh G, Bandler N, Bradley S, Lonsdale D, Taylor J, Marks SD (2012) Bridging the gap: an integrated paediatric to adult clinical service for young adults with kidney failure. BMJ 344:e3718
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (2009) The triple aim. Optimizing health, care and cost. Healthc Exec 24:64–66
Nagra A, McGinnity PM, Davis N, Salmon AP (2015) Implementing transition: ready steady go. Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed 100:313–320
Watson AR, Harden P, Ferris M, Kerr PG, Mahan J, Ramzy MF (2011) Transition from pediatric to adult renal services: a consensus statement by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA). Pediatr Nephrol 26:1753–1757
Foster BJ, Pai ALH, Zelikovsky N, Amaral S, Bell L, Dharnidharka VR, Hebert D, Holly C, Knauper B, Matsell D, Phan V, Rogers R, Smith JM, Zhao H, Furth SL (2018) A randomized trial of a multicomponent intervention to promote medication adherence: the Teen Adherence in Kidney Transplant Effectiveness of Intervention Trial (TAKE-IT). Am J Kidney Dis 72:30–41
Dobbels F, De Bleser L, Berben L, Kristanto P, Dupont L, Nevens F, Vanhaecke J, Verleden G, De Geest S (2017) Efficacy of a medication adherence enhancing intervention in transplantation: the MAESTRO-Tx trial. J Heart Lung Transplant 36:499–508
Wright J, Elwell L, McDonagh JE, Kelly DA, Wray J (2017) Parents in transition: experiences of parents of young people with a liver transplant transferring to adult services. Pediatr Transplant 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/petr.12760
Samuel SM, Nettel-Aguirre A, Soo A, Hemmelgarn B, Tonelli M, Foster B (2014) Avoidable hospitalizations in youth with kidney failure after transfer to or with only adult care. Pediatrics 133:e993-1000
Weitz M, Heeringa S, Neuhaus TJ, Fehr T, Laube GF (2015) Standardized multilevel transition program: does it affect renal transplant outcome? Pediatr Transplant 19:691–697
Pape L, Lammermuhle J, Oldhafer M, Blume C, Weiss R, Ahlenstiel T (2013) Different models of transition to adult care after pediatric kidney transplantation: a comparative study. Pediatr Transplant 17:518–524
McQuillan RF, Toulany A, Kaufman M, Schiff JR (2015) Benefits of a transfer clinic in adolescent and young adult kidney transplant patients. Can J Kidney Health Dis 2:45
Ariceta G, Camacho JA, Fernández-Obispo M, Fernández-Polo A, Gámez J, García-Villoria J, Lara E, Leyes P, Martín-Begué N, Perelló M, Pintos-Morell G, Torra R, Torregrosa JV, Torres-Sierra S, Vila-Santandreu A, Güell A, Grupo T-CiS.bcn (2016) A coordinated transition model for patients with cystinosis: from pediatrics to adult care. Nefrologia 36:616–630
Bell LE, Sawyer SM (2010) Transition of care to adult services for pediatric solid-organ transplant recipients. Pediatr Clin North Am 57:593–610
Watson AR, Harden PN, Ferris ME, Kerr PG, Mahan JD, Ramzy MF, International Society of Nephrology, International Pediatric Nephrology Association (2011) Transition from pediatric to adult renal services: a consensus statement by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA). Kidney Int 80:704–707
Ingelfinger JR, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Schaefer F (2016) World kidney day 2016: averting the legacy of kidney disease—focus on childhood. Am J Kidney Dis 67:349–354
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Answers 1. b 2. d 3. c 4. b 5. a.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Matsuda-Abedini, M., Marks, S.D. & Foster, B.J. Transition of young adult kidney transplant recipients. Pediatr Nephrol 38, 383–390 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-022-05582-6
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-022-05582-6