Nephrology & Therapeutics

Biography

Biography: Rajendra Bhimma

Abstract

To review the changing paradigms in the diagnosis, investigation and management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children beyond the neonatal period.

UTIs are the second most common cause of serious bacterial infections in early childhood, thus placing a huge financial burden on the health budget.  Despite increasing resistance to several first-line antibiotics, appropriate antibiotic treatment has almost eliminated mortality. 

Early guidelines advocated aggressive treatment and extensive imaging studies, particularly for the detection of serious ureteric reflex and kidney scarring. Treatment in the acute episode is aimed at eradication of bacteriuria and alleviation of symptoms.  Long-term goals include prevention of recurrent attacks of UTIs, kidney scarring and correction of urological lesions that may predispose to recurrent infections.   Although there is increasing evidence to show that long-term antimicrobial prophylaxis may be associated with a reduced risk of recurrent infection in selected groups of patients, but not renal scarring, more studies are needed to confirm this.

Surgical intervention is now restricted to cases with severe vesicoureteric reflux and failed medical management with endoscopic surgery being increasingly used in most centres compared to open surgery.