HEIGHT AND WEIGHT IN CHILDREN WITH VESICOURETERAL REFLUX AND RENAL SCARRING

Height standard deviation scores (HSDS) and weight-for-height index (W HI) at diagnosis were evaluated in 156 children aged 2 months to 10.8 years (mean 3.7 years) with vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) and normal cre atinine clearance, and in 156 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. F orty-three patients had bilateral VUR with scintigraphic signs of rena l scarring (B SCAR+), 25 had bilateral VUR without renal scarring (B S CAR-); 40 had unilateral VUR with (U SCAR+) and 48 unilateral VUR with out (U SCAR-) renal scarring. B SCAR+ patients had an average HSDS of -0.5 +/- 1.4 (SD) which was significantly (P = 0.02) below that of con trols (0.05 +/- 1 HSDS) and an average WHI of 100.6% +/- 16% which was significantly (P = 0.007) below that of controls (108% +/- 12%); 14% of B SCAR+ patients had a height below -2 HSDS. B SCAR-, U SCAR+, and U SCAR-patients had heights near to O HSDS which was not different fro m that of controls, as well as WHI between 104% and 107.9%, which was not different from that of controls. HSDS and WHI were significantly ( P = 0.00001) correlated in patients but not in controls. B SCAR-, U SC AR+, and U SCAR- patients are similar to healthy controls in weight an d in height growth and have, on average, some excess weight as do the latter. In contrast, B SCAR+ subjects have a significant decrease of t he relative height and normal WHI.