By Jonas Wilson, Ing. Med.
Vesicoureteral Reflux Epidemiology
The backward flow of urine from the bladder to the ureters is referred to as vesicoureteral reflux. Signs and symptoms, depending on the age of the child, vary. Parents may notice a failure to thrive in their infants as well as anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy that may or may not be accompanied by fever. Older children may complain about a vague abdominal pain and present with symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Urinalysis, imaging and urodynamic studies are the cornerstones of the diagnosis. Treatment depends largely on the severity of the VUR and may range from surveillance with antibiotic prophylaxis to other medical therapies and/ or surgery.
Statistics
Affecting up to 2% of the pediatric population, VUR is the …show more content…
As a result of the increased rates of UTIs in females and the subsequent screening in these patients, VUR diagnosis is made more often. Despite these known facts, boys are more likely than girls to have VUR. The ratio is approximately 2:1. Furthermore, and unfortunately, young males are at a greater risk of having more severe grades of VUR, which is also diagnosed at a younger age in comparison to their female counterparts. The good news, however, is that VUR in boys is more likely to undergo spontaneous resolution.
Geographic and racial demographics
The global incidence of VUR per locale is not thoroughly described in contemporary literature. However, it is believed to be fairly similar between North America and Europe. With regards to racial differences, VUR is more prevalent in the Caucasian pediatric population when compared to others.
References
• http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vesicoureteral-reflux/basics/definition/con-20031544
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9874316
•
Vesicoureteral Reflux Epidemiology
The backward flow of urine from the bladder to the ureters is referred to as vesicoureteral reflux. Signs and symptoms, depending on the age of the child, vary. Parents may notice a failure to thrive in their infants as well as anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy that may or may not be accompanied by fever. Older children may complain about a vague abdominal pain and present with symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Urinalysis, imaging and urodynamic studies are the cornerstones of the diagnosis. Treatment depends largely on the severity of the VUR and may range from surveillance with antibiotic prophylaxis to other medical therapies and/ or surgery.
Statistics
Affecting up to 2% of the pediatric population, VUR is the …show more content…
As a result of the increased rates of UTIs in females and the subsequent screening in these patients, VUR diagnosis is made more often. Despite these known facts, boys are more likely than girls to have VUR. The ratio is approximately 2:1. Furthermore, and unfortunately, young males are at a greater risk of having more severe grades of VUR, which is also diagnosed at a younger age in comparison to their female counterparts. The good news, however, is that VUR in boys is more likely to undergo spontaneous resolution.
Geographic and racial demographics
The global incidence of VUR per locale is not thoroughly described in contemporary literature. However, it is believed to be fairly similar between North America and Europe. With regards to racial differences, VUR is more prevalent in the Caucasian pediatric population when compared to others.
References
• http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vesicoureteral-reflux/basics/definition/con-20031544
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9874316
•