End Stage Kidney Disease Outcomes in Children and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease in the United States Renal Data System

BACKGROUND: Children and young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) develop kidney disease early in childhood with some patients progressing to require dialysis and kidney transplantation. The prevalence and outcomes of children with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) due to SCD is not well described. This study aimed to assess the burden and outcomes of ESKD in children and young adults with SCD in a large national database. METHODS: Utilizing the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) we retrospectively examined ESKD outcomes in children and young adults with SCD from 1998 – 2019. RESULTS: We identified 97 patients with SCD that developed ESKD and identified 96 matched controls with median age of 19 years (IQR 17, 21) at time of ESKD diagnosis. SCD patients had significantly shorter survival (7.0 years vs. 12.4 years, p < 0.001) and had a longer waiting time to their first transplant when compared to matched non-SCD-ESKD patients (10.3 years vs. 5.6 years, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Children and young adults with SCD-ESKD have a significantly higher mortality when matched to non-SCD-ESKD children and experience a longer mean time to kidney transplant.