title: Urinary albumin and interleukin-8 levels are not good indicators of ongoing vesicoureteral reflux in children who have no active urinary tract infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a risk factor for kidney scarring, hypertension and declining renal function. Standard diagnostic methods are invasive and can cause exposure to radiation and urinary tract infections (UTIs). We aimed to investigate urine albumin and interleukin-8 levels as markers of ongoing VUR and renal damage in children without UTIs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Random urine samples were collected from 51 children, including 16 children with VUR (group A), 17 children with resolved VUR (group B) and 18 normal children (group C). The diagnosis of VUR or resolved VUR was confirmed by voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) or direct radionuclide cystography (DRNC). All children had normal kidney function and had no evidence of UTI in the preceding three months. Random urine specimens were assayed for albumin (Alb), creatinine (Cr) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) and mean values were compared by one way ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In groups A and B, the mean age at first UTI was 31.7 ± 2.4 and 27 ± 2.0 months respectively. In group A, the mean duration between VUR diagnosis and study entrance was 30 ± 9.1 months. In group B, the mean duration between VUR diagnosis and recovery was 19.9 ± 1.3 months. Overall, 76.4% of affected children had bilateral VUR and 41.2% had severe VUR. There were no significant differences in urinary Alb, IL-8, Alb/Cr and IL-8/Cr between the three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study does not support the hypothesis that microalbuminuria or urinary IL-8 are good indicators of ongoing VUR and renal injury in children.
authors.affiliation: Gilan University of Medical Sciences and Gilan Pediatrics Growth Disorder Research Center, Rasht, Iran. Badeli@gums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Hamidreza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Badeli
authors.forename: Termeh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: khoshnevis
authors.forename: Afagh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassanzadeh Rad
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000652:urine*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000652:urine; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016209:Interleukin-8