GLOMERULAR DIMENSIONS IN CHILDREN UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE

Glomerular area, perimeter, and mean maximum glomerular diameter were assessed in post-mortem kidney tissue from 114 children who died sudde nly in accidents and who were considered to have been previously healt hy. One hundred glomeruli were measured from each case using a compute r-based measurement system. Regression analysis was used to analyse gl omerular size with respect to age, body weight, height, and body mass index. The estimated mean glomerular area for newborns was 7934 mum2 ( SE 314), increasing 8 per cent per year to 18 219 mum2 at 15 years of age. The estimated mean maximum glomerular diameter increased from 112 mum (SE 1.9 mum) for newborns, approximately 3.6 mum per year to reac h 167 mum at age 15. Glomerular size correlated better with age than w ith height, weight, or body mass index, and glomeruli in the inner cor tex were significantly larger than those in the middle and outer corte x. Glomerular size was significantly greater in female children than i n the male children over the age range examined.