Screening infants with an isolated single umbilical artery for renal anomalies: nonsense?
BACKGROUND
Presently there is no consensus regarding the extent of workup required in newborns who present with an isolated single umbilical artery (SUA). Because of the association with silent renal anomalies, some studies advise to perform renal ultrasonography in infants born with an isolated SUA.


OBJECTIVE
To decide whether screening (performing a renal ultrasound and in case of abnormalities on the ultrasound performing a micturating cystourethrogram) infants with an isolated SUA is justified by evaluating the prevalence of clinically relevant renal abnormalities.


METHODS
Retrospective descriptive study.


METHODS
Live-born infants with SUA detected by physical examination born between January 1st, 1997 and February 1st, 2005, in a tertiary care university hospital.


METHODS
Renal anomalies detected by renal ultrasonography and a micturating cystourethrogram in infants with abnormalities on renal ultrasound.


RESULTS
We included 52 live-born infants with an isolated SUA. Renal ultrasonography was performed in 92.3% of these 52 infants. In this group, abnormalities were found in 5 infants (10.4 %) on renal ultrasound. A relative subpelvine stenosis was detected in 1 infant, the other abnormalities on renal ultrasound were mild hydronephrosis without further consequences.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that it is not necessary to screen for renal anomalies in infants with a single umbilical artery without other anomalies seen at physical examination.
Doornebal
N
N
Department of Pediatrics, Leeuwarden Medical Centre, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. n.doornebal@bkk.umcg.nl
de Vries
T W
TW
Bos
A F
AF
de Vries
N K S
NK
D000328:Adult; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014567:Urography