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Kidney growth in 717 healthy children aged 0-18 months: a longitudinal cohort study

Ida M Schmidt1, Katharina M Main, Ida N Damgaard

  • 1University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark, rh03096@rh.dk

Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|June 19, 2004
PubMed

Insights

This study established kidney size reference charts for healthy children up to 18 months. Kidney size is influenced by gender and body composition, with boys having larger kidney volumes initially.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nephrology
  • Human Growth and Development
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Accurate kidney size references are crucial for diagnosing pediatric renal disease.
  • Existing reference data for healthy children is limited beyond the neonatal period.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish gender-differentiated reference charts for kidney size in healthy children.
  • To investigate the relationship between kidney size, age, gender, and body composition.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal cohort study of 717 healthy children from birth to 18 months.
  • Kidney size and shape assessed via ultrasonography at 0, 3, and 18 months.
  • Analysis correlated kidney dimensions with gender, age, weight, length, body surface area, and skinfold thickness.

Main Results:

  • Gender-differentiated reference charts for kidney volume were created.
  • Boys exhibited significantly larger kidney volumes than girls, particularly at 0 and 3 months.
  • Weight was the strongest predictor of kidney volume; relative kidney volume showed a two-phase decrease with increasing age and height.

Conclusions:

  • Kidney size in infants is significantly influenced by gender, age, and body composition.
  • The observed changes in relative kidney volume suggest potential roles for sex steroids and growth hormone in infant kidney growth.

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