A Case with Abrupt Progression of Renal Scarring or Abrupt Deterioration of Renal Function Associated with Vesicoureteral Reflux

Abrupt progression of renal scarring associated with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is rare in males over 2 years old of age. We report a 5 year old boy with sustained unilateral high grade VUR who experienced abrupt progression of renal scarring; he had a relative renal radionuclide uptake of 38% at 2 years of age that dropped to 8% after three years. Per his parent's wishes, he took prophylactic antibiotics for 25 months after his first febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) at 4 months old without surgical management. One episode of recurrent breakthrough infection occurred at the age of 2 years. This observation reminds us that a recommending surgical management for sustained high grade VUR associated with renal scarring might be needed. Close follow up of DMSA for renal scanning, and long term follow up of patients after the first febrile UTI are important.

The Diagnostic Value of Clinical and Radiologic Findings in Children after the First Episode of Acute Pyelonephritis

PURPOSE: Acute pyelonephritis is one of the most common causes of unexplained fever in children. It may lead to the development of progressive renal damage. However, the detection of acute pyelonephritis can be difficult, especially in infants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of various lab tests and imaging studies for acute renal parenchymal changes in children with APN. We correlated the clinical and laboratory manifestations of acute pyelonephritis with the imaging studies. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 115 children (85 males and 30 females) who were hospitalized during the period of January 1998 to December 2002 with initial clinical symptoms suggestive of pyelonephritis. The patients' age, sex, duration of fever, laboratory findings, and causative organisms were compared with the findings of imaging studies (Technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan, renal ultrasonography, intravenous pyelography, voiding cystourethrography). RESULTS: No significant relation between the number of febrile days, leukocyte count, causative organism, and the renal abnormalities in the imaging studies were observed. On the other hand, both C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels were significantly elevated in children with positive dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan. Furthermore, females and children older than 1 year presented with significantly higher rate of abnormal dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan findings and vesicoureteral reflux presented by voiding cystourethrography. CONCLUSION: We recommend females and children older than 1 year who are suspected of acute pyelonephritis be evaluated carefully for renal involvement by performing imaging studies including dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan and voiding cystourethrography.

Initial 99mTechnetium-dimercaptosuccinic Acid(DMSA) Renal Scan Finding and Vesicoureteral Reflux as Predicting Factor of Renal Scarring

PURPOSE: Acute pyelonephritis in children may result in permanant renal damage which later in life may lead to hypertension and renal failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors that might be useful for predicting the development of renal scar in children with urinary tract infection(UTI). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 442 patients with UTI who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of Chonbuk National University Hospital, during the period from April 1992 to March 2002. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of renal scar on the follow-up DMSA renal scan, and we compared the factors associated with renal scarring between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in sex, causative organism and acute phase reactants between the groups with and without renal scar. The age at diagnosis was significantly higher in the renal scar group compared to that without scar. Of the 60 patients with renal scar, 78% had vesicoureteral reflux(VUR), but 13% of patients without scar had VUR. Furthermore, the severity of VUR was significantly correlated with renal scar formation. 53 % showed multiple cortical defects on the initial DMSA renal scan, compared to 32% in the non-scar group. In addition, 76% of patients showing multiple cortical defects on the initial DMSA renal scan with VUR had renal scar. CONCLUSION: The presence and grade of VUR, and findings on the initial DMSA renal scan would contribute to predict risk of renal scar formation in children with UTI.