New advances in pediatric nephrology: ESPN 2023 results

Abstract

On September 28 — October 1, 2023, the European Society for Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN) 55th Annual Meeting was held in Vilnius, Lithuania, where new achievements in the world of pediatric nephrology were presented. The program included 66 sessions with reports, continuing medical education courses, 117 invited speakers, meetings of working groups on various issues of pediatric nephrology were held, about 450 abstracts were printed and 292 poster presentations were discussed, inclu­ding two by authors from Ukraine. Courses for young doctors, preparing them for the international exam, and 5-minute reports by well-known specialists became interesting in the organization of continuing medical education, which significantly increased the amount of presented material. Among the innovative approaches in pediatric nephrology, the following drugs have been considered: finerenone (a selective non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist), sparsentan (an angiotensin/endothelin receptor antagonist) for Alport syndrome, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, IgA nephropathy, dapagliflozin (a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor) for chronic kidney disease and pioglitazone for proteinuria. New approaches have been introduced: to IgA nephropathy — proteinuria control with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), tonsillectomy, rituximab, eculizumab; to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis — plasmapheresis, rituximab (CD20), ofatumumab (CD20), abatacept (CD80/86), belatacept (CD80/86), daratumumab (CD38); to membranous nephropathy — proteinuria control with ACEi, rituximab, calcineurin inhibitors, glucocorticoids, cyclophosphamide; to membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis — proteinuria control with ACEi; to C3 glomerulopathy — proteinuria control with ACEi, eculizumab. Specific provisions of the BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) guidelines were considered, in particular, monthly screening for BKPyV-DNAemia in blood plasma is suggested until month 9, then every 3 months until month 24, after which additional screening every 3 months until the end of the third year after transplantation in pediatric kidney recipients (C, weak). In pediatric patients with stable renal function and high BKPyV-DNAemia, despite reduction in immunosuppressive therapy, we suggest consideration of renal allograft biopsy, as creatinine elevation may be decreased in children with significant renal involvement, including rejection (A, strong).