Characteristics of the bladder in infants with urinary tract infections: an ultrasound study.
BACKGROUND
Patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) are known to have impaired bladder function as demonstrated by urodynamic (UD) studies. UD is rarely performed in infants.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate bladder function in infants with UTI using a dynamic US protocol. Maximal bladder volume (MaxBV), residual volume (RV) and bladder wall thickness (BWT) were measured and compared with values from normal controls.


METHODS
A total of 57 consecutive infants (47 males, 10 females; mean age 0.48+/-0.30 years) with proven UTI, and 63 age-matched normal controls (37 males, 26 females; mean age 0.47+/-0.37 years) were recruited. MaxBV was determined just before voiding, and RV and BWT were measured after spontaneous voiding.


RESULTS
Infants with UTI had smaller MaxBV (34.89 vs. 42.91 ml), larger RV (3.46 vs. 1.51 ml) and greater BWT (4.21 vs. 3.68 mm) than normal infants (P<0.05, Mann-Whitney test).


CONCLUSIONS
Smaller bladder volume, larger residual volume and thicker bladder wall in infants with UTI can be explained by bladder instability, hypercontractility and infection-induced oedema of the bladder wall during UTI. The US measurement of bladder parameters might serve as an objective guide for clinical diagnosis and allow objective evaluation of bladder function during posttreatment follow-up.
Liu
Ji-Xian
JX
Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Leung
Vivian Yee-Fong
VY
Chu
Winnie Chiu-Wing
WC
Sreedhar
Biji
B
Metreweli
Constantine
C
Yeung
Chung-Kwong
CK
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014563:Urodynamics