Evaluating the requirement of ultrasonography for children with their first urinary tract infection

Abstract

Management of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children remains important. It may be the first sign for a possible underlying congenital abnormalities for the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). This study examined whether performing renal and bladder ultrasonography (RBUS) only for children who have a pathogen other than E. coli during their first urinary tract infection (UTI), or who experience UTI recurrence, would result in more missed diagnoses of kidney anomalies. Patients aged between 2 months and 2 years who were seen in a tertiary pediatric hospital during a 2-year period and diagnosed with UTI were included. RBUS and voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) were performed according to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines. Afterwards, we looked back and evaluated how often we found kidney problems when we only did a RBUS on patients who had an atypical cause of their first UTI or who had multiple UTIs. One hundred and seventy-eight patients who were followed up with UTI were included in this study. The isolated pathogen was E. coli in 104 cases (58.4%) and atypical in 74 cases (41.6%). VCUG was conducted on 40 patients, and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was discovered in 16 cases and ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) was discovered in 1 case. A different diagnostic approach that required the presence of an atypical pathogen at the first UTI or a fUTI recurrence to perform the RBUS would have missed just two severe kidney anomalies. It was observed that there could be a decrease of 40.4% in RBUS and at least 20% in VCUG. A diagnostic approach that necessitates the presence of an abnormal pathogen during the initial UTI or a second UTI episode for the RBUS to be carried out would lead to fewer negative ultrasounds with minimal risk of overlooking kidney anomalies.