Presentation of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) ranges from severe renal impairment and a high mortality rate in infancy to older children and adolescents with minimal renal disease and complications of congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF), cholangitis and portal hypertension. Renal transplantation improves prognosis but it is unclear whether CHF in transplanted children follows the same clinical course as in older children with less severe renal disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate morbidity from CHF in ARPKD post renal transplantation. Data were analyzed for six males and eight females, transplanted for ARPKD (mean age 8.3years, range 1-22.3years) at the University of Minnesota between 1972 and 1998. Follow-up was for a mean of 14.5years (range 3.1-33.6years). One and 5years patient survival rates were 93% and 86%, respectively. Overall five patients (36%) died; 4/5 deaths were related to CHF. Causes of death were hepatic failure immediately post transplant (n Ω 1), septicemia related to bile duct dilatation (n Ω 3) and multiorgan failure (n Ω 1). One and 5years graft survival rates were 87% and 70%, respectively. One patient had a combined liver-kidney transplant and two were re-transplanted. Initial signs of CHF were splenomegaly (n Ω 5), hepatosplenomegaly (n Ω 4) and gastrointestinal bleed (n Ω 2). Progression of CHF through childhood included hypersplenism (n Ω 7), esophageal varices with gastrointestinal bleeding (n Ω 5) and bile duct dilatation (n Ω 5). Portal hypertension was treated with portosystemic shunt (n Ω 3), sclerotherapy (n Ω 2), banding of varices (n Ω 1) and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (n Ω 1). Of the nine survivors (mean age 12.8years) 78% have functioning grafts (one liver-kidney transplant), 63% have portal hypertension and 22% have asymptomatic biliary dilatation. Complications of CHF developed in 79% of children who received a renal transplant for ARPKD. Mortality related to CHF occurred in 29% and accounted for 80% (4/5) of the deaths.

Objective To investigate the relationship between abdominal ultrasound (US) findings and demographic, historical and clinical features in children with CF. Study design Children age 3-12 years with CF without known cirrhosis, were enrolled in a prospective, multi-center study of US to predict hepatic fibrosis. Consensus US patterns were assigned by 3 radiologists as normal, heterogeneous, homogeneous, or cirrhosis. Data were derived from direct collection and U.S. or Toronto CF registries. Chi-square or ANOVA were used to compare variables among US groups and between normal and abnormal. Logistic regression was used to study risk factors for having abnormal US. Results Findings in 719 subjects were normal (n=590, 82.1%), heterogeneous (64, 8.9%), homogeneous (41, 5.7%), and cirrhosis (24, 3.3%). Cirrhosis (p=0.0004), homogeneous (p<0.0001) and heterogeneous (p=0.03) were older than normal. More males were heterogeneous (p=0.001). More heterogeneous (15.0%, p=0.009) and cirrhosis (25.0%, p=0.005) had CF-related diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance versus normal (5.4%). Early infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (<2 years old) was associated with a lower risk (OR 0.42, p=0.0007) of abnormal. Ursodeoxycholic acid use (OR 3.69, p <0.0001) and CF-related diabetes (OR 2.21, p=0.019) were associated with increased risk of abnormal. Conclusions Unsuspected cirrhosis is seen in 3.3% of young patients with CF, heterogeneous in 8.9%. abnormal US is associated with CF-related diabetes, and early P aeruginosa is associated with normal US. Prospective assessment of these risk factors may identify potential interventional targets.

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