[Renal length measured by ultrasound in adult mexican population].
BACKGROUND
Renal length estimation by ultrasound is an important parameter in clinical evaluation of kidney disease and healthy donors. Changes in renal volume may be a sign of kidney disease. Correct interpretation of renal length requires the knowledge of normal limits, these have not been described for Latin American population.


OBJECTIVE
To describe normal renal length (RL) by ultrasonography in a group of Mexican adults.


METHODS
Ultrasound measure of RL in 153 healthy Mexican adults stratified by age. Describe the association of RL to several anthropometric variables.


RESULTS
A total of 77 males and 76 females were scanner. The average age for the group was 44.12 +/- 15.44 years. The mean weight, body mass index (BMI) and height were 68.87 +/- 11.69 Kg, 26.77 +/- 3.82 kg/m2 and 160 +/- 8.62 cm respectively. Dividing the population by gender, showed a height of 166 +/- 6.15 cm for males and 154.7 +/- 5.97 cm for females (p =0.000). Left renal length (LRL) in the whole group was 105.8 +/- 7.56 mm and right renal length (RRL) was 104.3 +/- 6.45 mm (p = 0.000.) The LRL for males was 107.16 +/- 6.97 mm and for females was 104.6 +/- 7.96 mm. The average RRL for males was 105.74 +/- 5.74 mm and for females 102.99 +/- 6.85 mm (p = 0.008.) We noted that RL decreased with age and the rate of decline accelerates alter 60 years of age. Both lengths correlated significantly and positively with weight, BMI and height.


CONCLUSIONS
The RL was significantly larger in males than in females in both kidneys (p = 0.036) in this Mexican population. Renal length declines after 60 years of age and specially after 70 years.
Oyuela-Carrasco
J
J
Departamento de Nefrología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Ciudad de México, México.
Rodríguez-Castellanos
F
F
Kimura
E
E
Delgado-Hernández
R
R
Herrera-Félix
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult