Retrospective analysis of percutaneous intervention of the renal artery in transplanted kidneys in children and adolescents at a tertiary public hospital

Background
This study evaluated the long-term effects of percutaneous intervention in children and adolescents with transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS).

Methods
Twenty patients had significant stenosis (>50%) and underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA/stenting) (TRAS group-intervention); 14 TNS (non-significant group -control) patients did not have significant stenosis (≤50%) and were treated clinically. The combined primary endpoints were death from all causes and late graft failure. The secondary endpoints were serum creatinine (SCr), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP).

Results
No statistically significant difference was found between TRAS—Intervention(N = 20) and TNS groups—Control (N = 14) for these clinical parameters: deaths, 1 (5.0%) vs. 0 (0.0%) (p = 1.000) and graft loss, 4 (20.0%) vs. 2 (14.3%) (p = 1.000). For the secondary endpoints, after 1 month and 1 year the values of SCr, SBP, and DBP were similar between the two groups but not statistically significant.

Discussion
In the TRAS group (intervention), the stent implantation was beneficial for treating refractory hypertension and reducing blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents. Despite the outcomes being similar in the two groups, it can be inferred that the patients in the TRAS group (intervention) would have had a worse outcome without the percutaneous intervention.

Conclusion
TRAS treatment with stenting can be considered for children and adolescents. Because the sample in the present study comprised of only a specific population, further studies are needed for generalization.