[The course of renal function in vesicorenal reflux. Study using I-123 Hippuran]

Fifty-two patients with vesicoureteral reflux (age: 6.4 +/- 6.2 years) were examined by IVP, voiding cystouretrography and 123 I-Hippuran studies. 17 patients were not operated; 26 had an antireflux, 9 an urethral surgery. The follow-up was 2 years for 39 of these patients, with at least one evaluation per year. The observations were: Unoperated patients were younger, had a lower radiological grade of reflux and renal functional impairment was less frequent. Functional impairment was initially equally distributed in unilateral (53%) and bilateral (54%) reflux. Radiological grade of reflux had an unsatisfactory predictive value for functional renal status. Functional renal status at 2 years was unchanged in 82% of patients. Improvement was observed in 8%, deterioration in 10%. These results were not influenced by the choice of treatment. However, reflux persistence was more frequently observed in the un-operated group (50% versus 5%). Renal transit times of 123 I-Hippuran did not correlate with the functional status or the radiological grade of reflux.