Vesicoureteral reflux diagnosed in adulthood. Incidence of urinary tract infections, hypertension, proteinuria, back pain and renal calculi.

STUDY PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of urinary tract infections, hypertension, back pain, and renal calculi in adult patients with vesicoureteral reflux and reflux nephropathy.

METHODS: A group of 115 patients (16-60 years of age, median 28 years) with vesicoureteral reflux, combined with reflux nephropathy in 101 patients, first detected between 1967 and 1984, was studied retrospectively. The group comprised 99 women and 16 men.

RESULTS: Symptoms and findings associated with the urinary tract preceded the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux by median 14 years (1-60 years). Intravenous pyelography preceded investigation with micturating cystography in 99 patients. Fifteen patients had no urinary tract infections, 17 patients had only lower urinary tract infections, and 83 patients had upper with or without lower urinary tract infections. Females had 12 times more lower and seven times more upper urinary tract infections than males, whereas males had impairment of renal function and proteinuria more often than females. Hypertension was present in 39 patients (34%) and five times more frequent in patients with bilateral than in those with unilateral reflux nephropathy. The median age at the first recording of hypertension was 33 years (16-60 years). Malignant hypertension was uncommon and occurred in two patients. An older group (> 45 years of age at presentation) of 19 patients showed a 90% incidence of hypertension compared with 23% in 96 patients in the younger group (< or = 45 years of age at presentation). Back pain of varying type and severity was present in 48 patients (42%). A total of 38 renal calculi was found in 21 (18%) patients, of whom 14 were completely asymptomatic.

CONCLUSIONS: The natural history of vesicoureteral reflux first detected in adulthood has shown a strikingly high incidence of urinary tract infections, arterial hypertension, back pain, and renal calculi.