Role of vitamin A in preventing renal scarring after acute pyelonephritis.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

The role of vitamin A in re-epithelialization of the damaged mucosal surfaces has been documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of vitamin A in preventing renal scaring after acute pyelonephritis in children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This clinical trial study was conducted in children with acute pyelonephritis in Mofid Children Hospital (Tehran, Iran). Patients were randomly divided into two groups to receive ceftriaxone and vitamin A or ceftriaxone only. Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scintigraphy was performed before the start of the treatment and 6 months later. Results were compared for renal scaring between the two groups.

RESULTS:

Seventy-six patients (11 boys and 65 girls) were enrolled. The mean age was 25 ± 24 months and 54 patients (71.1%) were under 2 years old. The average vitamin A level was 71 ± 24 microg/dL in the treatment group and it was 62 ± 18 µg/dL in the control group. Baseline DMSA scans were comparable between the two groups in terms of scarring (P = .53), but the second DMSA scans showed a significant change in progression of the renal injury and scaring in the control group compared to those treated with vitamin A as well as antibiotic (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

We found administration of the vitamin A was useful in decreasing the amount of the injury and scarring following the pyelonephritis. Based on our study, vitamin A can be used in conjunction with other treatments in the management of acute pyelonephritis in children.

• Authors: Reza Dalirani, Mojtaba Yousefi Zoshk, Mostafa Sharifian, Masoumeh Mohkam, Abdollah Karimi, Alireza Fahimzad, Mona Varzandefar
• Journal: Iranian journal of kidney diseases (Iran J Kidney Dis) Vol. 5 Issue 5 Pg. 320-3 (Sep 2011) ISSN: 1735-8604 [Electronic] Iran
• PMID: 21876308 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Vitamin A
• Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Child, Preschool
• Cicatrix (diagnostic imaging, prevention & control)
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Male
• Pyelonephritis (complications)
• Radionuclide Imaging
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Single-Blind Method
• Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid
• Vitamin A (therapeutic use)