[Comparative study of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in the severity diagnosis of pyelonephritis in children]. / Étude comparative de la protéine C-réactive et de la procalcitonine dans le diagnostic de sévérité des pyélonéphrites aiguës de l'enfant.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to compare two biologic parameters; C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in the detection of acute renal lesions assessed by DMSA scintigraphy in the urinary tract infection in child. DESIGN: In a prospective study, serum PCT, CRP and leukocyte counts were measured for children admitted, between January and December 2010, with a first episode of febrile urinary tract infection. RESULTS: Seventy-five children were enrolled in the study. Thirty-three patients had renal lesions (group A) and 42 had a normal DMSA scintigraphy (group B). The mean PCT level was significantly higher in group A than in group B (8.81 ng/mL versus 1.7 ng/mL, P=0.01). In this study, using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, we identified that the optimal cut-off value with ideal sensitivity and specificity for PCT in detection of renal lesions was 0.76 ng/mL and for CRP, it was 70 mg/L. The sensitivity, the negative predictive value and the indice of Youden of the cut-off value of PCT were significantly higher than CRP (82% versus 70%; 84% versus 70% and 0.58 versus 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that the serum PCT level was more sensitive and specific than the CRP in the detection of renal lesions in the first urinary tract infection in child.

[Management and follow-up of antenatally diagnosed primary megaureters]. / Prise en charge et évolution des méga-uretères primitifs de découverte anténatale.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To study the diagnostic and outcome aspects of antenatally diagnosed primary megaureters and analyse the results of the postnatal medicochirurgical management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors report a retrospective analysis of 12 patients been born between 1998 and 2009 with primary megaureter antenatally diagnosed between 20 and 32weeks of gestation. A postnatal radiological assessment comprising urinary tract ultrasound, DTPA or MAG3 renal scintigraphy, retrograde cystography, DMSA renal scintigraphy and intravenous urography was performed. All the patients were put under urinary antiseptic treatment and followed since the birth. RESULTS: This study comprised nine boys and three girls, all been born at term with normal trophicity. Mean age of antenatal diagnosis of hydronephrosis was 26weeks of gestation. Mean age of definitive postnatal diagnosis was ten months. Left megaureter was seen in five children, right in two cases and five patients had bilateral megaureter comprising a total of 17 renal units of which eight units were non-obstructed/non-refluxing, three units were refluxing, five units were obstructed and one unit was obstructed and refluxing. Megaureter was associated to controlateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction syndrome in one patient and to ipsilateral ureteral duplicity with a superior polar kidney in another case. Renal function was less than 20% in four renal units. The mean follow-up was four years (range : 10months to 11years). Outcome was marked by urinary infections in seven cases of which four patients had non-obstructed/non-refluxing megaureter. Six patients required surgical correction, two for non-obstructed/non-refluxing megaureter complicated with urinary recurring infections, three for obstructed megaureter with severe renal functional deterioration and one patient for bilateral refluxing megaureter grade V. Two other patients required surgical treatment, one for controlateral ureteropelvic junction obstruction syndrome and the other for ipsilateral ureteral duplicity with destroyed superior polar kidney. Mean age at surgery was 22,6months (range : 6 months to 7 years). CONCLUSION: Half of our patients with antenatal diagnosis of primary megaureter required surgical correction. Urinary recurring infections, renal functional deterioration less than 20% and importance of ureteral dilatation with vesico-ureteric reflux grade V were predictive factors for surgery.