Basic fibroblast growth factor in the urine of children with voiding pathology

Basic fibroblast growth factor is a mediator of tissue response to injury. Voiding pathology often results in bladder abnormalities. We prospectively determined whether basic fibroblast growth factor is elevated in the urine of children with bladder dysfunction compared to that of normal controls.

A total of 97 consecutive children with myelomeningocele and 32 with voiding pathology due to other etiologies underwent urodynamic testing, and 11 children with no bladder symptoms and sterile urine served as controls. Urinary basic fibroblast growth factor levels were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and normalized to urinary creatinine.

Mean urinary basic fibroblast growth factor was higher in bladder dysfunction from myelomeningocele (6,673 pg./gm. creatinine, p = 0.0015) and other etiologies (5,665 pg./gm. creatinine, p = 0.0025) compared with urine from normal bladders (2,995 pg./gm. creatinine). In the myelomeningocele group urinary tract infection was associated with higher urinary basic fibroblast growth factor than in sterile urine (9,214 versus 5,642 pg./gm. creatinine, p = 0.018). Patient age, gender, remote bladder surgery, clean intermittent catheterization, detrusor hyperreflexia, detrusor compliance, age adjusted pressure specific bladder volume, low grade reflux and degree of trabeculation did not correlate with levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (p > 0.05).

Urinary elevation of basic fibroblast growth factor, a critical mediator of wound repair, in children with voiding pathology and clinically abnormal bladders supports the paradigm that bladder dysfunction may result from generalized response-to-injury mechanisms. The role of fibrogenic cytokines, such as basic fibroblast growth factor, merits further directed investigation in bladder pathology.