Outcomes of dialysis initiated during the neonatal period for treatment of end-stage renal disease: A North American Pediatric Renal Trials and Collaborative Studies special analysis

OBJECTIVE. We sought to determine the outcomes of initiating long-term dialysis of neonates and children aged >1 to 24 months with end-stage renal disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS. By querying the North American Pediatric Renal Trials and Collaborative Studies database, we obtained information on 193 neonates (≤1 month of age) and 505 children (>1-24 months of age) with a presumptive diagnosis of end-stage renal disease who initiated long-term dialysis. Dialysis characteristics and likelihood of hospitalization were compared using the χ² test, and duration of hospitalization was compared using the Wilcoxon 2-sample test. Product limit methods were implemented, and the log rank test was used to compare time-to-event analyses. Multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS. Neonates with end-stage renal disease were more likely to receive peritoneal dialysis versus hemodialysis than older children with end-stage renal disease. Moreover, neonates who initiated dialysis during the first month of life were just as likely to terminate dialysis as were the older children. Rates of renal transplantation were significantly lower in the neonates compared with the older children, but neonates were more likely to recover function of the native kidney. Although neonates were more often hospitalized, their overall risk of mortality was similar to that observed in older children. CONCLUSIONS. Neonates with a presumptive diagnosis of end-stage renal disease may initiate long-term dialysis during the first month of life with outcomes comparable to those of patients who initiate dialysis later in infancy.