Management of children with dilating vesico-ureteric reflux in Sweden

To evaluate the management and outcome of children with dilating vesico-ureteric reflux diagnosed before 2 y of age.

This retrospective, multicentre study was part of a programme for quality assurance in Sweden. A total of 2309 unselected children, aged 0-2 y, were investigated after the first urinary tract infection. Voiding cystourethrography was performed in a total of 1953 children, of whom 584 had reflux. Of these children, 303 (119 boys and 184 girls) had reflux with dilatation (grade 3-5).

Follow-up after 4-6 y was reported in 272 of the 303 children. Spontaneous regression of dilating reflux occurred in more than half of the patients and was significantly more frequent in boys than in girls (p = 0.047). In children with grade 3 reflux and grade 4-5 reflux, there were pyelonephritic recurrences in 18% and 45% of the boys and 28% and 70% of the girls, respectively (p < 0.001). One hundred and eighty-one children (65%) were managed conservatively, 58 (21%) were treated with subureteric injection and 33 (12%) with ureteric reimplantation. There were considerable differences in treatment strategies between centres.

This study of an unselected cohort of children with urinary tract infection and dilating reflux showed spontaneous resolution of dilating reflux in more than half of the subjects and more often in boys than in girls. Pyelonephritic recurrences were more common in girls than in boys, and more frequent in grade 4-5 reflux than in grade 3. The results indicate important differences between the sexes and that boys and girls should be assessed separately when treatment strategies are studied.