The aim of work was the assessment of the length and function of the single kidney and arterial blood in children with renal agenesis (AN) treated in our Department in 2000-2003 years.
Material and methods: The examinations were carried out: in 38 children (M--23, F--15) aged 1-16 years (mean 7.6 +/- 5.3) with unilateral AN, in whom in the ultrasound examination the picture of the single kidney was normal. The control group consisted of 40 healthy children aged 6.5 +/- 5.4 years. Ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM) was performed using ambulatory blood pressure monitor: BR--102 monitor f. Schiller. The renal length was assessed using ultrasound examination with 3.5 MHz or 5 MHz probe. Creatinine clearance was estimated by Schwartz method. Serum levels of creatinine was assayed by Jaffe method and urine protein by biuret method.
Results: Mean renal length was 93.9 +/- 18.33 mm. The degree of compensatory hypertrophia was 12.1 +/- 1.7%. Creatinine clearance and 24-hour proteinuria were normal. Mean systolic (RRs) and diastolic (RRr) blood pressure in children with AN was higher but did not exceed 95th centile by height. Nocturnal fall of RRs i RRr in children with single kidney (7.27 +/- 0.3% for RRs and 8.78 +/- 0.3 for RRr) was lower than in control group. We found a strong positive correlation between RRs and renal length (r = 0.725; p < 0.01).
Conclusion: Renal agenesis (AN) does not cause impairment of the function of single kidney in childhood but leads to disturbances in 24-hour rhythm of arterial blood with the decrease of physiological nocturnal fall.