Background: Children with renal and urinary tract diseases may require admission in general pediatric wards.
Aim of the study: To identify the pattern of renal and urinary tract diseases among children admitted to general department and their associated morbidities and mortality.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of files of children with confirmed diagnosis of renal and urinary tract diseases who were admitted to a general pediatric ward, at Children Hospital, Cairo University.
Results: During 12 months, 142 patients with renal or urinary tract disease were admitted to our pediatric general ward. 121 patients (85.2%) had isolated renal disease and 21 patients (14.8%) had renal affection as a part of systemic diseases. The most common diseases among those with isolated renal disease, were glomerular diseases (62 patients, 51.2%), followed by had congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (33 patients, 27.3%). Different types of infection were the main cause for admission among 78 (54.9%) children. 34 patients (23.9%) underwent renal replacement therapy. 26 patients suffered from poor outcome.
Conclusion:
Pediatricians should have the knowledge of the different presentations of renal disease in children and be trained for timely referral to the pediatric nephrologists and/or urologist. Renal diseases should be suspected in those with diseases of other systems. Infections are the commonest renal indication of admission in the general pediatric ward.