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Obesity and a febrile urinary tract infection: dual burden for young children?
Tae Hwan Yang1, Hyung Eun Yim1, Kee Hwan Yoo1
1Department of Pediatrics, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
Insights
Obesity in young children is linked to an increased risk of febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) and acute pyelonephritis (APN). Overweight and obese children showed higher rates of these infections compared to lean children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing concern with potential health implications.
- Febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in young children and can lead to serious complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between obesity and the occurrence of febrile UTIs in children under three years old.
- To determine if obesity influences the risk of acute pyelonephritis (APN) in this age group.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of medical records for children under 3 years old diagnosed with febrile UTIs and healthy controls.
- Children were categorized into lean, overweight, and obese groups based on weight-for-length measurements.
- Statistical analysis, including odds ratios, was used to evaluate the effect of obesity on UTI and APN risk.
Main Results:
- Overweight and obese children had a significantly higher proportion of UTIs and APN compared to lean children.
- Obese children had an 84% increased odds of UTI and a 143% increased odds of APN compared to lean children.
- Overweight children had a 96% increased odds of APN, and specific risks were noted for boys and girls based on weight status.
Conclusions:
- Obesity is associated with a higher likelihood of febrile UTI and APN in young children.
- The findings suggest that weight management may play a role in preventing UTIs and their complications in pediatric populations.
Objective:
To determine the relationship between obesity and febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) in young children.
Methods:
We reviewed all medical records of children aged <3 years who visited our institution for febrile UTIs and infant national health checkups (controls) between January 2008 and February 2012. All subjects were subcategorized into 3 groups of lean, overweight, and obese using weight-for-length measurements. The effect of obesity on UTI risk was evaluated and odds ratios were calculated.
Results:
We analyzed 465 patients with UTIs and 812 controls. The proportion of overweight and obese children was higher in patients with UTIs (22.8%) and acute pyelonephritis (APN; 31.1%) compared with those in the control (11.7%; P <.05). After adjusting for age and gender, the odds ratio (OR) of UTI in obese relative to lean children was 1.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-3.05) and that of APN was 2.43 (95% CI, 1.27-4.62). The OR of APN in overweight relative to lean children was 1.96 (95% CI, 1.11-3.46). After adjusting for age, the OR of APN in obese relative to lean boys was 2.74 (95% CI, 1.11-6.77) and that in overweight to lean girls was 2.48 (95% CI, 1.05-5.83). Within patients with UTIs, compared with lean children, the obese showed a longer duration of fever and a higher frequency of APN and the overweight had a higher incidence of hydronephrosis (P <.05).
Conclusion:
Obesity may be associated with higher odds of a febrile UTI and APN in young children.
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