An eight-year-old girl in the UK has become the first transplant patient not to require lifelong drugs.
This remarkable achievement comes from pioneering work by the London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) medical team.
Aditi Shankar, battling the rare genetic condition known as Schimke’s immuno-osseous dysplasia, underwent a transformative procedure involving receiving a new kidney and bone marrow from her mother, Divya.
Her unique case allowed her to discontinue immunosuppressant medications just one month after receiving her new kidney.
Aditi was referred to GOSH at age five, where doctors diagnosed her with Schimke’s immuno-osseous dysplasia.
The condition affects the immune system and kidneys and is exceedingly rare in the UK, impacting one child every three million.
Professor Stephen Marks, a children's kidney care specialist at GOSH, initially believed that Aditi's immune condition would prohibit her from receiving a kidney transplant.
However, collaborating with international colleagues, GOSH’s renal, immunology and stem cell transplant teams devised an innovative treatment plan, reprogramming Aditi’s immune system before the transplantation.
Professor Marks said Aditi’s immune deficiency had to be corrected by having her mum’s bone marrow first. Once Aditi’s body could accept her mum’s bone marrow, it could see her mum’s kidney as a part of her.
He said: ‘A month after the transplant, we were able to take her off all of her immunosuppression, which means she doesn’t get the side effects of the drugs.’
Aditi’s life has been transformed since the procedure. Previously, she spent significant time in the hospital receiving dialysis to compensate for her failing kidneys.
PA reports that she now enjoys swimming, singing, dancing and playing on her trampoline.
The details of Aditi’s case will be presented at the European Society for Paediatric Nephrology conference and published in the journal Paediatric Transplantation.
On his profile page on the GOSH website, Professor Marks says: ‘I love seeing how we can improve the quality of life for our patients on dialysis after they receive a good functioning kidney transplant. I love looking after patients for many years, seeing them throughout their childhood and growing up into young adults! I love working with our team members as we all aim to improve the long-term outcomes of our patients.’
