Outcome after renal transplantation. Part I: Intellectual and motor performance

Abstract

Comprehensive information on neurodevelopmental outcome in children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease is still limited. Intellectual performance (IP) and motor performance (MP) were systematically assessed in 27 patients at a median age of 14.1 years (range 6.5-17) and 6 years (range 0.5-12.7) after renal transplantation (RTPL). IP was analyzed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III) in 25 patients and by the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children in two patients. MP was evaluated by the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment. Median full- scale intelligent quotient (FSIQ) was 97 (range 49-133). Twenty-one patients had an FSIQ >or= 85 (i.e. >or= mean-1 standard deviation). The five patients with neurological comorbidity had a median FSIQ of 81 (range 49-101). Verbal IQ (VIQ) (median 104; range 50-146) was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than performance IQ (PIQ) (median 88; range 48-117). The PIQ was significantly lower compared with controls (p < 0.007), and patients scored significantly lower compared with controls in five of 11 subtests of the Wechsler Scale. All MP tasks were significantly (p < 0.01) lower than in controls, and also in children without neurological comorbidity. Socioeconomic status was significantly correlated with FSIQ (p = 0.03). IP after RTPL was within the normal range for the majority of children. PIQ was lower compared with VIQ, and MP was significantly affected in all children after RTPL.