Rebecca Ruebner, M.D., who cares for patients with kidney disorders at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, received a Young Investigator Award of the American Transplant Congress (ATC) at its national meeting this week in Boston.
Dr. Ruebner, a fellow in the Division of Nephrology at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, received the award in recognition of research she presented June 5 at the ATC, entitled, "Risk Factors for End-Stage Kidney Disease after Pediatric Liver Transplantation."
In this study, a retrospective analysis of outcomes after all pediatric liver transplantations performed in the U.S. from 1990 through 2010, Dr. Ruebner found that end-stage kidney disease was relatively uncommon in these children, occurring in 167, or 2 percent, of the 8,976 patients who received liver transplants.
"This rate of end-stage kidney disease in children is considerably lower than that found in adults who received liver transplantation," said Dr. Ruebner, "but children who do develop end-stage kidney disease have a high mortality rate." She added that in all patients who receive liver transplants, the immunosuppressive drugs they must take to prevent their bodies from rejecting the donor liver carry a risk of kidney damage.
Dr. Ruebner said the study reinforces the importance of closely following children for the first signs of kidney disease after they receive a liver transplant. The Nephrology program at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was again ranked in the top two pediatric programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report's 2012-13 survey of Best Children's Hospitals, announced this week.
About The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking third in National Institutes of Health funding. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 516-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.