Usefulness of basic renal function tests in decision-making in children with loss of renal parenchyma and/or dilation of the urinary tract

Abstract

Basic renal function tests such as maximum urine osmolality and urinary elimination of albumin and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase often reveal abnormalities in clinical cases involving hyperpressure in the urinary tract or loss of renal parenchyma. However, in all the available algorithms dedicated to the study of children with urinary tract infection or dilation, the benefit of using these functional parameters is not mentioned. In this review, we provide information about the practical usefulness of assessing the basic renal function parameters. From these data, we propose an algorithm that combines morphological and functional parameters to make a reasoned case for voiding cystourethrography.

Keywords

• Concentrating capacity
• Albuminuria
• N-acetyl-glucosaminidase
• Cystourethrography
• Vesicoureteral reflux