Subject(s)
Bacteriuria/physiopathology , Kidney/physiopathology , Pyelonephritis/physiopathology , Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate/analogs & derivatives , Vesico-Ureteral Reflux/physiopathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Glomerular Filtration Rate , Humans , Kidney/diagnostic imaging , Pentetic Acid , Radionuclide Imaging , TechnetiumABSTRACT
Clearance of technetium-99m-labelled diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid was used to measure total and individual kidney glomerular filtration rates in 48 girls with covert bacteriuria. The mean (+/- SD) of the total rates of 18 girls with scarred kidneys (99 +/- 24 ml/min/1.73 m2) was significantly (0.005 greater than p greater than 0.002) lower than that in 30 girls with unscarred kidneys (119 +/- 18 ml/min/1.73 m2). This reduction in glomerular filtration was related to the loss of kidney substance associated with scarring rather than to vesicoureteric reflux. The glomerular filtration rate was unrelated to the duration of bacteriuria. These findings suggest that in girls aged 4 and over neither vesicoureteric reflux nor covert bacteriuria contributes to the progression of kidney damage.
