REFLUX NEPHROPATHY IN INFANCY: A COMPARISON OF INFANTS PRESENTING WITH AND WITHOUT URINARY TRACT INFECTION

Purpose: We compared the incidence of renal scarring in infants with high grade vesicoureteral reflux in those presenting with and without urinary tract infection.Methods and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 81 male and 46 female infants (194 renal refluxing units) with a mean age of 4 months who had grade IV or V primary vesicoureteral reflux and underwent an anti-reflux procedure between 1984 and 1997. Dimercapto-succinic acid (DMSA) scans and voiding cystourethrography were performed in all cases. Patients were followed for 2 to 16 years, including 90% for greater than 3 years. Renal ultrasound and DMSA scan were done at followup.Results: A total of 97 patients (76%) (148 refluxing renal units) presented clinically with urinary tract infection. The initial DMSA scan demonstrated renal scarring in 40 of the 106 grade IV (38%) and 28 of the 42 grade V (67%) refluxing renal units. There was no scarring on followup in previously normal refluxing renal units. Of the patients 30 (24%) (46 refluxin...