Characteristics and Findings of Childhood Urinary Tract Infection in the Last Decade

Abstract

Background: The strong association between kidney and urinary tract anomalies and childhood urinary tract infection (UTI) often leads to imaging tests being performed. ­Objective: To describe the epidemiology, characteristics, and imaging findings in Thai children with UTI and compare results between boys and girls. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children with UTI aged < 15 years. Demographic characteristics and findings of investigations are presented. Results: One hundred seventy-eight boys and 170 girls with 432 UTI episodes were identified. The median (interquartile range) age at presentation was 1.4 (0.6–3.4) years, 1.0 for boys and 2.1 for girls (p < 0.001). Renal ultrasound, voiding cystourethrogram and ^99mTc dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scans were performed in 273, 223 and 113 children, respectively. Overall, 283 children (81.3%) had at least one imaging study done and anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract were detected in 158 (45.4%). Primary vesicoureteral reflux was detected in 73 (32.7%) children. The remaining abnormalities were hydronephrosis (n = 54). DMSA scans detected 54 children with dysplastic or scarred kidneys. Conclusions: First UTI in a group of Thai children occurred in approximately equal proportion in boys and girls but boys were younger at diagnosis. Kidney and urinary tract anomalies were detected in half of the children.