Risk factors for renal scarring in children with primary vesicoureteral reflux disease

Abstract EN

To determine the incidence of renal scarring among patients with primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and the possible risk factor(s), we studied 90 children (60 girls and 30 boys) with VUR followed in the Pediatric Nephrology Unit at the Ege University Hospital from 1998 to 2003.

All the patients were assessed for VUR grade by voiding cystoureterography and for presence of renal scarring by (99 m) technetium dimercapto-succinic acid scintigraphy.

All infants with VUR were given low-dose prophylactic antibiotics and followed-up until resolution of the reflux.

Grade of reflux and number of urinary tract infection (UTI) episodes ( ≥ 3) were found to be statistically significant risk factors for renal scarring (P < 0.05).

However, gender, familial history and laterality of the disease were not found to be statistically significant risk factors (P > 0.05).

Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference of frequency of renal scarring among the different age groups (P > 0.05).

We conclude that recurrences of UTI and VUR severity are significant risk factors for renal scarring in children with VUR.

Therefore, identification of VUR at an early age may offer the opportunity to prevent episodes of UTI and possible formation of renal scars that may result in end-stage renal failure.