Reflux nephropathy and chronic atrophic pyelonephritis: a review

Chronic atrophic pyelonephritis is associated with vesicoureteric reflux in infancy. Reflux disappears during childhood in 50% of cases. It is more commonly detected in infants (49%) and children (26%) with infection than in adults (4.4%). Severe reflux may persist in adults and is usually (94%) associated with scarring. Patients with end-stage renal failure due to pyelonephritis are much younger than patients with end-stage renal failure due to other causes. The incidence of reflux according to sex is equal in infancy, but after infancy both pyelonephritic scarring and reflux are far more common in females. Infection is the likely cause of progressive scarring in females. Hypertension is associated with chronic atrophic pyelonephritis. Proteinuria is the worst prognostic feature in patients with reflux nephropathy and pyelonephritic scarring. Intrarenal reflux determines the site of scarring. The role of surgical correction of vesicoureteric reflux remains uncertain, but meticulous control of infection appears to prevent progressive scarring.