Is resolution of vesicoureteric reflux by conservative management predictable in patients with myelodysplasia?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the probable factors that might predict the outcome of conservative management of vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) in myelodysplastic patients.


METHODS
A retrospective review of 24 children with VUR secondary to neurogenic bladder (15 girls and 9 boys, age range 1-18 years) out of 75 myelodysplasia patients between 1994 and 1996 was made. Patients were grouped according to their response to conservative management: Group I: patients with their VUR resolved or downgraded (n = 15), and group II: patients with their VUR unchanged or increased (n = 9). The following parameters were compared between the two groups: age, sex, VUR grade and laterality, urodynamic parameters (bladder capacity, compliance, leak point pressure), type of bladder neuropathy, accompanying neuropathology (walking problem, anal incontinence).


RESULTS
Most of the parameters studied failed to predict the outcome of conservative management of VUR in patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction. Higher grades of VUR if bilateral seem to benefit more from conservative management than lower grades do. Conservative management appears to be more effective in hyperreflexic bladders than areflexic bladders in terms of VUR resolution.


CONCLUSIONS
Although prediction of patients resistant to conservative management of VUR could save myelodysplastic children from prolonged risk of renal damage, current methods of evaluation are of very little help in this aspect.
Ulman
I
I
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Division of Paediatric Urology, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. ulman@bornova.ege.edu.tr
Avanoğlu
A
A
Erikçi
V
V
Gökdemir
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D001750:Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic; D014563:Urodynamics; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*