END-STAGE REFLUX NEPHROPATHY

Forty-two of 371 patients (11.3%) entering a dialysis-transplant progr am had end-stage reflux nephropathy. Thirteen of these 371 patients we re under 16 years of age, with 6 of them having reflux nephropathy. Mo st patients presented with severely impaired renal function, hypertens ion, and proteinuria. Documented urinary tract infections occurred in only 4 of the 18 male and 14 of the 24 female patients. Thirty-five pa tients had hypertension, which in 22 had not been detected before pres entation. Five presented with accelerated hypertension. Eight of the 2 4 women presented during a pregnancy. Twenty-nine patients are still a live, 20 with a functioning renal transplant. Reflux nephropathy is an important cause of end-stage renal failure, particularly in younger p eople. All patients presenting with renal insufficiency and proteinuri a, with or without urinary tract infections or hypertension, should ha ve reflux nephropathy excluded.