Ocular complications in children and adolescents following renal transplantation

Ocular complications after renal transplantation are common in adults. Nevertheless, data regarding these complications in children are insufficient. The purpose of the present study was to assess ocular morbidity in pediatric renal graft recipients. A retrospective observational study of 71 patients aged 11.2 ± 5.5 yr was conducted. Mean duration of follow-up was 5.6 ± 3.5 yr. A total of 16 ocular complications were found in 12 (17%) of the patients. Three patients suffered from more than one complication. Cataract was the most common finding (six patients, 8.4%) followed by swollen disk and hypertensive retinopathy in four patients (5.7%) each and increased intra-ocular pressure in two patients (3%). Mean time interval between transplantation and occurrence of first abnormal ocular finding was 37 ± 34.5 months. The follow-up time was significantly longer in patients with ophthalmological problems than in those without complications (7.8 yr vs. 5.2 yr, p < 0.02). No statistically significant association was found between the occurrence of ocular complications and the age of the patients at transplantation, donor source, duration of dialysis prior to transplantation, previous corticosteroid therapy or presence of acute rejection episodes. The results of the study point to the importance of regular concurrent ophthalmological follow-up in pediatric renal graft recipients to reduce/prevent ocular morbidity.