Socioeconomic Disparities in Preemptive Kidney Transplant Rates in Children

Key Points Pediatric preemptive kidney transplantation rates in the United States vary by socioeconomic status (SES). The HOUsing-based index of SES, an individual-level SES measure derived from residential addresses, effectively predicts pediatric preemptive kidney transplant rates. Background Preemptive kidney transplantation in children is associated with better patient and graft survival compared with transplants after dialysis. However, preemptive kidney transplantation rates in children remain low. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on preemptive transplantation in children. Methods Our study included 173 Minnesota-resident pediatric kidney transplant recipients (younger than 18 years) transplanted at the University of Minnesota from 2010 to 2020. Using the HOUsing-based index of SES (HOUSES) index, a validated, individual SES measure based on housing units categorized into quartiles (Q1: lower SES; Q2–Q4: higher SES), we applied mixed-effects multivariable logistic models to examine the effects of HOUSES on preemptive kidney transplants and pretransplant dialysis duration. Results Of 173 pediatric kidney transplant recipients, 46 (26.6%) received a preemptive transplant, and of 109 recipients with dialysis duration data, 39 (35.8%) received dialysis for >1 year. After adjusting for age at kidney failure, sex, donor type, insurance type, and underlying cause of kidney failure, we observed significantly lower odds of preemptive transplantation among Q1 recipients compared with Q2–4 recipients (adjusted odds ratio, 0.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.11 to 0.90; P = 0.03). Conclusions Using the HOUSES index, we found significant socioeconomic disparities in preemptive kidney transplantation rates among children.