Growth Indices in Urinary Tract Infection Children with or without Vesicoureteral Reflux

To determine the growth quality in children, less than 5 years of age, affected with urinary tract infection (UTI) and to compare the indices between patients with and without vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) based on their reflux severity and/ or laterality, we studied 106 children less than 5 years of age with UTI at Imam Reza Hospital of Kermanshah, Iran, and divided the study group into four subgroups based on their cystouretrography results as follows: Group 0: without reflux (as control group); Group 1: mild VUR; Group 2: moderate VUR; and Group 3: severe VUR. In all the subgroups, weight height index (WHI) was lower than 100% and was 96%, 93%, 95%, and 98%, respectively. We found no correlation between reflux severity and WHI in all the subgroups. In addition, the difference in the mean height standard deviation score (HSDS) (0.10, -0.12, -0.19, and -0.22, respectively) in the different subgroups was statistically insignificant. The mean WHI in the group with unilateral and bilateral reflux was 94.5% +/- 8.9% and 95.0% +/- 8.16%, respectively, while the mean HSDS was -0.16 +/- 0.35 and -0.18 +/- 0.38, respectively, and the difference was statistically insignificant in both the cases. We conclude that in children with UTI and normal glomerular filtration rate, the existence of reflux with all grades of severity and laterality exerts no impact on the growth index.