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Relationship of voiding dysfunction to urinary tract infection and vesicoureteral reflux in children
1Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock.
Insights
Voiding dysfunction is common in girls with urinary tract infections (UTIs), potentially leading to infections. However, this dysfunction did not appear to cause vesicoureteral reflux in the studied girls.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Urology
- Nephrology
Background:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and voiding dysfunction are common in children.
- Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a known risk factor for UTIs.
- The relationship between voiding dysfunction, UTIs, and VUR requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between voiding dysfunction, UTIs, and VUR in pediatric patients.
- To determine if voiding dysfunction predisposes girls to UTIs or VUR.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 109 children evaluated for UTIs or voiding dysfunction.
- Focus on female patients due to small male cohort size.
- Statistical analysis to assess the significance of observed relationships.
Main Results:
- 40.6% of females with UTIs had voiding dysfunction.
- 66.6% of females with voiding dysfunction developed UTIs.
- 33.3% of females with VUR had voiding dysfunction, likely due to associated UTIs.
- Only 20.6% of females with voiding dysfunction also had VUR (p = 0.01).
Conclusions:
- Voiding dysfunction is prevalent in girls with UTIs and may predispose them to developing infections.
- Voiding dysfunction in this cohort did not demonstrate a predisposition to VUR.
- Further research is warranted to understand the complex interplay between these conditions.
Abstract:
A total of 109 children were evaluated for urinary tract infections or for voiding dysfunction without infections. The relationship of voiding dysfunction to urinary infection and vesicoureteral reflux was then examined in girls. The number of males studied was too small for statistical analysis. While 40.6 percent of females with infections had voiding dysfunction, in 66.6 percent of those females having voiding dysfunction infections also developed. Voiding dysfunction was noted in 33.3 percent of females with reflux, probably due to the strong association of reflux and infections. However, all of females with voiding dysfunction, only 20.6 percent also had reflux. These findings were statistically significant (p = 0.01) and suggest that voiding dysfunction is common in girls with infections, perhaps even predisposing to the development of infections. However, voiding dysfunction in this population did not predispose to reflux.
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