Kidney and Blood Pressure Outcomes in Children Surviving at Least 6 Months after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Carolyn Sun, Sahrish Masood, Jenan-Jill Kiyingi et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis assessed late kidney and high blood pressure outcomes in children surviving at least 6 months after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). It included 54 studies published from January 2000 to November 2022; 41 assessed kidney outcomes and 24 assessed blood pressure. Pooled proportions were 15.0% for late kidney outcomes (95% CI, 0.11-0.20; I 2 = 91.7%) and 14.0% for high blood pressure outcomes (95% CI, 0.09-0.19, I 2 = 93.4%). The highest proportions occurred after HSCT for malignancies, while outcome definitions varied substantially.
Key findings
- Across included studies, the pooled proportion with late kidney outcomes was 15.0% (95% CI, 0.11-0.20; I 2 = 91.7%).
- The pooled proportion with high blood pressure outcomes was 14.0% (95% CI, 0.09-0.19, I 2 = 93.4%).
- The highest proportions of kidney and high blood pressure outcomes were observed among patients transplanted for malignancies.
- Definitions of kidney and blood pressure outcomes were sometimes absent and varied greatly across studies.
Why it matters
The pooled estimates indicate that kidney and blood pressure complications are relevant late outcomes for pediatric HSCT survivors. However, substantial variation in outcome definitions and high between-study heterogeneity make the estimates difficult to interpret uniformly. The findings highlight the importance of consistent outcome assessment when evaluating long-term health after transplantation.
What to keep in mind
Outcome definitions varied or were undefined, and estimates showed substantial heterogeneity across studies.