title: [Prevalence and characteristics of the vesicoureteral reflux in infants who suffered neonatal urinary tract infection].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk of developing renal scars is higher in the first years of life, mostly when the patient has vesicoureteral reflux, for that reason is necessary to identify this reflux as early as possible. Our aim was to determine the prevalence and characteristic of presentation of vesicoureteral reflux in infants who suffered neonatal urinary tract infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational, prospective study, from 1992 to 2007, of a newborn cohort that suffered the first urinary tract infection acquired in the community with upper localization for clinical criteria, who had been carried out renal ultrasound and mictional urethrocystography. We analyzed the clinical and imaging characteristics of the vesicoureteral reflux presentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 358 patients the median of follow up was 19 months (range 1-104). The prevalence rate of vesicoureteral reflux was 20.9% (IC 95%: 16.4-26.2), prevailing the primary vesicoureteral reflux, with a rate of 18.1% patients. The vesicoureteral reflux was unilateral in 40 patients, with higher affectation of the left kidney, and bilateral in 35 cases. The degrees III or higher of vesicoureteral reflux (65.0%), overcame the low degree I or II in the patients with unilateral vesicoureteral reflux (35.0%). There was not significant difference by gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presentation of an urinary tract infection in the neonatal period was associated with vesicoureteral reflux in 20.9% of the cases, most frequently caused by primary vesicoureteral reflux and the dilatant degrees. There was not significant difference by gender.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Hospital Pediátrico Universitario Juan M. Márquez, La Habana, Cuba. mfdiaz@infomed.sld.cu
authors.forename: Manuel Díaz
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Bárbara Acosta
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Rodolfo Pérez
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Córdova
authors.forename: María Isabel Arango
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.forename: Bertha Delgado
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Marrero
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*