Urinary epidermal growth factor in different renal conditions in children

Several studies have demonstrated the important role of growth factors; par ticularly epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alph a (TGF alpha), in cellular growth after renal damage. EGF is mainly synthes ized by the kidney. Many studies indicate that urinary EGF concentration si gnificantly decreases in patients with acute and chronic renal failure. In this study we determined urinary EGF concentrations in children with renal and/or urological pathologies. We investigated 38 patients, 17 males and 21 females, of 3.34 +/- 2.96 years (mean +/- standard deviation), who were fo llowed in the Nephrologic Unit of the Pediatric Department of the Universit y of Verona for recurrent urinary tract infections: seven of these had vesi coureteric reflux and 4 had hypodysplasia. The results were compared with t hose from a healthy age-matched group of 44 children. In all patients, we a ssessed renal function including an examination of the urine with a microbi ological evaluation. Moreover, a renal ultrasound: and a voiding cystoureth rogram were performed. Urinary EGF was measured by a radioimmunoassay, usin g polyclonal goat antibodies. In all patients, laboratory parameters were w ithin the normal range. In 34 patients the renal ultrasound was negative an d in 4 cases structural alterations of the renal parenchyma were found. Voi ding cystourethrography detected 7 instances of vesicoureteric reflux. In c ontrols 10 degrees, 50 degrees, 90 degrees percentile uEGF values were 7.3, 19 and 40.4 mug/L, respectively. Mean urinary EGF values were 22.22 +/- 16 mug/L. Urinary EGF values were 54 +/- 35.2 mug/L in patients with recurren t urinary tract infections and without urinary malformations, 81 +/- 29.37 mug/L in patients with vesicoureteric reflux and 22.30 +/- 22.90 mug/L in p atients with hypodysplasia, respectively: There was a statistical significa nt difference between controls and groups A (p < 0.001) and B (p < 0.001) r espectively, while the difference between group C and controls wasn't signi ficant (p = 0.044). Results are reported in Figure 1. We believe that our r esults could be helpful for further studies on pathophysiology of growth fa ctors in different renal conditions of children.