INCIDENCE OF ULTRASOUND FINDINGS INDICATIVE OF NEPHROCALCINOSIS IN LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS

Supplementation of calcium and phosphate is recommended in nutrition o f low birth weight infants to ensure a physiological development of po stnatal bone mineralisation. To investigate whether high dose calcium supplementation increases the risk of renal calcification in preterm i nfants, serial ultrasound examinations were performed in 30 preterm in fants (gestational age 29,5 (26-35) weeks; birth weight 1382 (610-2010 ) g) before, during and after oral calcium and phosphate supplementati on. Total calcium input was on average 3,1 mmol/kg/d, total phosphate input on average 2,1 mmol/kg/d). All children showed normal kidney ult rasound before entering the study. During mineral supplementation thre e children developed hyperechoic renal medullary pyramids, the typical ultrasound pattern of nephrocalcinosis. Supplementation was stopped i mmediately and pathologic ultrasound patterns disappeared in all 3 chi ldren.