Paediatric end-stage renal disease and renal replacement therapy in Switzerland: survival and treatment trends over four decades

Vancomycin Dosing Strategy for the Treatment of Peritonitis in a Child on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis: A First Pediatric Case Report

BACKGROUND

Bacterial peritonitis is a common complication of peritoneal dialysis. In the absence of systemic signs of infection, adult guidelines recommend treatment with intraperitoneal vancomycin either as empiric coverage of gram-positive organisms or as targeted therapy. However, there is no guidance on how to administer vancomycin in children on automated peritoneal dialysis.

CASE REPORT

We report vancomycin pharmacokinetics upon intraperitoneal administration for the treatment of a Staphylococcus hominis peritonitis in an 11-year-old patient on automated nocturnal intermittent peritoneal dialysis. While the patient was hospitalized, vancomycin was administered intraperitoneally as a continuous treatment. After hospital discharge, the nocturnal peritoneal dialysis was resumed. In the absence of treatment guidelines, intraperitoneal vancomycin was initially administered empirically only during the nocturnal dialysis exchanges which led to repetitive subtherapeutic vancomycin plasma concentrations and the persistence of S. hominis in dialysate cultures. Based on studies in adults, the dosing strategy was subsequently modified to administer vancomycin at a dosage of 15 mg kg-1 in the dialysate with a 6-h dwell period prior to the nocturnal dialysis thereby allowing to reach optimal peak concentrations. The dosing interval was subsequently individualized using therapeutic drug monitoring to ensure residual vancomycin concentrations > 10 mg L-1 thereby leading to clinical and microbiological recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

This case presents a dosing strategy based on a comprehensive review of the literature and highlights that a sufficient dwell period is critical when treating pediatric patients on automated peritoneal dialysis in order to allow vancomycin distribution and equilibration between the dialysate and the plasma.

Long-term social and professional outcomes in adults after pediatric kidney failure

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the long-term social and professional outcomes in adults after pediatric kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In this study, we described social and professional outcomes of adults after kidney failure during childhood and compared these outcomes with the general population.

METHODS

We sent a questionnaire to 143 individuals registered in the Swiss Pediatric Renal Registry (SPRR) with KRT starting before the age of 18 years. In the questionnaire, we assessed social (partner relationship, living situation, having children) and professional (education, employment) outcomes. Logistic regression models adjusted for age at study and sex were used to compare outcomes with a representative sample of the Swiss general population and to identify socio-demographic and clinical characteristics associated with adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

Our study included 80 patients (response rate 56%) with a mean age of 39 years (range 19-63). Compared to the general population, study participants were more likely to not have a partner (OR = 3.7, 95%CI 2.3-5.9), live alone (OR = 2.5, 95%CI 1.5-4.1), not have children (OR = 6.8, 95%CI 3.3-14.0), and be unemployed (OR = 3.9, 95%CI 1.8-8.6). No differences were found for educational achievement (p = 0.876). Participants on dialysis at time of study were more often unemployed compared to transplanted participants (OR = 5.0, 95%CI 1.2-21.4) and participants with > 1 kidney transplantation more often had a lower education (OR = 3.2, 95%CI 1.0-10.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Adults after pediatric kidney failure are at risk to experience adverse social and professional outcomes. Increased awareness among healthcare professionals and additional psycho-social support could contribute to mitigate those risks. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Health-related quality of life in adults after pediatric kidney failure in Switzerland

BACKGROUND

Little is known about health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults after kidney failure during childhood. In this study, we analyzed HRQoL of adults after pediatric kidney failure in Switzerland and investigated socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with HRQoL.

METHODS

In this cohort study, we sent questionnaires to 143 eligible patients registered in the Swiss Pediatric Renal Registry with continuous kidney replacement therapy starting before the age of 18 years. We assessed HRQoL using the Short-Form 36 version 1, compared HRQoL scores between our sample and the Swiss general population, and used linear regression models to examine socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with HRQoL.

RESULTS

We included 79 patients (response rate 55%) with a mean age of 38.6 years (range 19.4-63.1). Compared to the general population, HRQoL scores were lower for physical functioning (- 12.43, p < 0.001), role physical (- 13.85, p = 0.001), general health (- 14.42, p < 0.001), vitality (- 4.98, p = 0.035), and physical HRQoL (- 6.11, p < 0.001), but we found no difference in mental HRQoL (- 0.13, p = 0.932). The socio-demographic factors-lower education, unemployment, and not being in a relationship-were associated with lower HRQoL. The only clinical factor associated with HRQoL was the type of kidney disease. Patients with acquired kidney diseases had lower mental HRQoL than patients with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (- 11.4, p = 0.007) or monogenetic hereditary diseases (- 9.5, p = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Adults after pediatric kidney failure in Switzerland have lower physical, but similar mental HRQoL compared to the general population. Subgroups may require special attention with regard to their HRQoL. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.