Predicting factors of clinically significant urological anomalies after initial urinary tract infection among 2- to 24-month-old children.

AIM

To find more effective criteria to identify clinically significant urological anomalies after initial urinary tract infection among children.

METHODS

Children aged 2-24 months with an initial urinary tract infection were consecutively recruited in a Japanese hospital from 2013 to 2019. Voiding cystourethrography, 99mTc dimercaptosuccinic acid scan and ultrasound were intended to perform for all cases. Clinically significant urological anomalies were defined as high-grade vesicoureteral reflux, obstructive and abnormal urinary tract lesions, need for surgical intervention, renal hypoplasia and scarring. Using classification and regression tree analysis, we sought the associated factors. We developed new criteria with these factors, retrospectively applied them to the original data, and calculated the sensitivity and specificity.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty-seven patients were eligible, and 39 had clinically significant urological anomalies. Classification and regression tree analysis showed that the associated factors were non-E. coli infections, serum creatinine levels and ultrasound abnormalities. When the gold standards were performed on children with non-E. coli infections or serum creatinine levels ≥0.21 mg/dl, sensitivity and specificity were 0.82 and 0.68, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The criteria including non-E. coli infections and high-normal or higher serum creatinine levels may efficiently predict clinically significant urological anomalies after initial urinary tract infections.