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Pediatric Nephrology
Published in: Pediatric Nephrology 4/2021

01-04-2021 | Vesicorenal Reflux | Pro/Con Debate

Vesicoureteral reflux is it important to find?

Authors: Ian Hewitt, Giovanni Montini

Published in: Pediatric Nephrology | Issue 4/2021

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Abstract

Vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) has long been recognized as associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs), renal scarring, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The concept of “reflux nephropathy” was born, whereby the VUR was considered the culprit, predisposing to recurrent UTIs and providing a conduit whereby the infection could ascend to the kidneys resulting in scarring and destruction. The more severe grades of reflux were thought to place the young child at particular risk of CKD. The question being asked in this pro/con debate is whether VUR is indeed the culprit responsible for a significant proportion of children with CKD, a number of whom progress to end-stage kidney failure (ESKF), and is thus important to find and treat, or is it an innocent bystander associated with CKD and ESKF but not the cause. We believe the latter and will present convincing evidence supported by large scale prospective randomized controlled trials that VUR is not the ogre it was thought to be and is not important to find following a UTI (with some exceptions).
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Metadata
Title
Vesicoureteral reflux is it important to find?
Authors
Ian Hewitt
Giovanni Montini
Publication date
01-04-2021
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Pediatric Nephrology / Issue 4/2021
Print ISSN: 0931-041X
Electronic ISSN: 1432-198X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-020-04573-9

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