HYPERCALCIURIA AND NEPHROCALCINOSIS IN CHILDREN: CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS AND TREATMENT OUTCOMES
Keywords:
Nephrocalcinosis, children, etiology, diagnosis, growth and development, renal function, treatment.Abstract
Nephrocalcinosis (NC) is a rare renal disorder that is increasingly being diagnosed in both children and adults. This study aims to analyze the etiology, presenting complaints, clinical findings, growth and development, renal function at presentation, treatment, and to relate growth and renal function to changes in NC in patients with a follow-up for a period of at least 36 months. Data on 18 children with a US diagnosis of bilateral NC were analyzed. The most frequent causes of NC were hereditary tubulopathy and vitamin D intoxication in childhood in Albania. The treatment of underlying conditions is associated with catch-up growth and stabilization of renal function in many children, but not with reduction in the degree of NC in the majority of cases. Early recognition of conditions leading to NC is clinically useful, and this study provides valuable insights into the diagnosis and management of NC in children. The diagnostic flowchart suggested in this study may be helpful in the approach to NC
