title: Pregnancy outcome in women with reflux nephropathy and the inheritance of vesico-ureteric reflux.
abstract: In women with reflux nephropathy, we investigated whether pre-existing hypertension and impaired renal function influence the rates of preeclampsia, renal function deterioration and preterm birth. The infants were investigated for vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR). A prospective audit of 54 pregnancies in 46 women with reflux nephropathy was performed. Preeclampsia complicated 24% of pregnancies and was increased in women with pre-existing hypertension (42%) compared with normotensive women (14%), (RR 3.0 (95% CI 1.1-7.8)). Nine (18%) women experienced deterioration in renal function during pregnancy Women with mild or moderate renal impairment were at increased risk of renal function deterioration (RR 12.7 (95% CI 1.6-98.5); RR 19.8 (95% CI 2.6-155)), respectively A third of infants were delivered preterm. The risk of preterm birth was increased if the mother had pre-existing hypertension (p = 0.01) or moderate renal impairment (p = 0.002). Seventeen (43%) of the 40 infants who underwent micturating cystourethrography had VUR, consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance with reduced penetrance. In reflux nephropathy, pre-existing hypertension was associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia and pre-existing renal impairment with deterioration in renal function. Infants of women with reflux nephropathy should be screened for VUR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: North
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Gunn
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007681:Kidney Papillary Necrosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology