Vesico ureteric reflux and renal scarring in children with urinary tract infection

Abstract EN

To evaluate the presence of vesico ureteric reflux (VUR) and renal scarring in children with documented symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI), and the importance of age at time of presentation, we studied 29 patients with UTI.

Nineteen patients were females and 10 were males.

Three patients were below one year of age, 13 were between one and five years, and 13 were above five years.

None of the patients had systemic hypertension or renal insufficiency.

All patients had renal ultrasound and renal scintigraphy with dimercapto succinic acid (DMSA).

Micturating cystourethrogram was done in all children below age of five, and in patients above age of five if renal scintigraphy showed evidence of scarring.

Of the 29 UTI patients 10 (34%) had VUR.

Of the patients with VUR, seven were below age of five while three were above five.

Renal scarring was found in 3/7 patients with VUR below age of five years, but was in all patients with VUR above age of five years.

All patients with grade 3 and 4 reflux nephropathy had renal scarring, while it was found in half of the patients with grade 1 and 2 reflux.

We conclude that in UTI patients VUR is not uncommon finding, which needs further investigations and follow-up.