Morbidity, age and sex distribution, and complications in symptomatic urinary tract infection in childhood

ABSTRACT

This study aims at identifying major causes of Urinary Tract Infection [UTI] in different pediatric populations in Jordan. It also compares UTI complications in Jordanian children with what is reported in the world literature. We prospectively studied 140 patients, 53 males and 87 females. The age of these patients ranged from 1 month to 12 years. This included 17 males and 7 female infants. All patients were investigated for the purpose of revealing the causes of UTI and were followed up for a period of 6 months to 4.5 years. The most common abnormality in UTI patients was Vesicoureteral Reflux [VUR]. Female patients had a high incidence of cystitis [34.4%]. Male subjects were found to have more serious underlying disorders and required more surgical procedures compared to females. More males than females had their first UTI in infancy. The most common complications were Chronic Renal Failure [CRF] [14.3%], renal scars [27.1%] and Hypertension [HTN] [6.4%]. All hypertensive patients were found to have renal scars. UTI in infancy and childhood, carriers a significant risk of renal injury. Consequently a careful urological evaluation at an early stage following the first UTI is mandatory. A careful follow up is also helpful in detecting complications in susceptible patients