[Long-term follow up of chronic recurrent isolated hematuria]

A retrospective multicentre study of 341 children with persistent/recurrent, isolated haematuria is described. The haematuria was isolated for at least half a year in the beginning of observation. 47.8% of the patients became symptom-free. In 18.4% the haematuria remained isolated, in 13.8% it was combined with greater than 250 mg/day proteinuria greater than 2 years later. The occurrence of associated proteinuria was 8.6% between the 3rd to fifth years, and 37.0% after the 5th years. 14 cases had Alport's nephropathy. The percentage of more serious azotaemia was 1.7 (Ccreat: 10-50 ml/min/1.73 m2) and 0.3 (Ccreat: less than 10 ml/min/1.73 m2). Mortality was 0.58%, rate of hypertension 1.2%. Most of the patients who developed severe azotaemia, had persistent microscopic haematuria in the beginning. The haematuria was associated with hypercalciuria in 19.9%. In 14.3% of the overall group of patients urolithiasis developed 2-15 years after onset. All of them had hypercalciuria. Our findings suggest that symptoms of isolated haematuria may last for a long-term period and need systematic control. When proteinuria and/or hypertension associates to haematuria a worse prognosis can be expected.