Timing of voiding cystourethrogram after urinary tract infection

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nephrology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in children.
• Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a significant risk factor for recurrent UTIs and renal scarring.
• The optimal timing for voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) after UTI diagnosis is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prevalence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) detected by voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) in Thai children diagnosed with urinary tract infections (UTIs).
• To determine if performing VCUG within 7 days of UTI diagnosis impacts VUR detection rates compared to performing it after 7 days.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 363 Thai children who underwent VCUG following a UTI diagnosis.
• Children were divided into two groups: those who had VCUG within 7 days of UTI diagnosis (n=215) and those who had VCUG more than 7 days after diagnosis (n=148).
• Prevalence of VUR was calculated for each group.

Main Results:

• Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was detected in 22.8% of children who underwent voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) within 7 days of urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnosis.
• VUR was detected in 24.3% of children who underwent VCUG more than 7 days after UTI diagnosis.
• No statistically significant difference in VUR prevalence was observed between the early and delayed VCUG groups.

Conclusions:

• The timing of voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) after a urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnosis in children does not significantly affect the detection rate of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).
• These findings suggest flexibility in scheduling VCUG post-UTI in pediatric populations.
• Further research could explore the long-term implications of VUR detection timing on patient outcomes.