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Polythelia: still a marker of urinary tract anomalies in children?

Pietro Ferrara1, Valentina Giorgio, Ottavio Vitelli

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University, A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy. pferrara@rm.unicatt.it

Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology
|October 7, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Children with supernumerary nipples (SNN) show a higher incidence of kidney and urinary tract (K/UT) anomalies. Further investigation of K/UT is recommended for children diagnosed with SNN.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nephrology
  • Clinical Genetics
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Supernumerary nipples (SNN), or polythelia, are common mammary tissue malformations.
  • The association between SNN and other anomalies is often debated.
  • Kidney/urinary tract (K/UT) anomalies encompass functional disorders, malformations, and diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between SNN and K/UT anomalies in children.
  • To determine if SNN correlates with an increased risk of K/UT abnormalities.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study design was employed.
  • The study included 166 children with SNN (case group) and 182 children without SNN (control group).
  • Participants were recruited from a Pediatric Nephrology Unit and a general Pediatrics Department.

Main Results:

  • A significantly higher prevalence of SNN was observed in children with K/UT anomalies (6.62%) compared to the control group (1.09%).
  • Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference between the groups (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

  • The study reveals a notable incidence of K/UT anomalies in children with SNN.
  • Routine screening for K/UT anomalies is advised for pediatric patients presenting with SNN.
Abstract

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