THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY MASS INDEX AND KIDNEY SIZES IN HEALTHY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

Introduction: Ultrasonographic measurement of kidney size is important and reliable parameter in the evaluation of children with renal disease. The aim of this study was to measure the kidney sizes with ultrasonography in healthy school age children and to evaluate the relationship between these measurements and body mass index for both sexes. Materials and Methods: A total of 287 children from a primary school were included into the study. Patients were evaluated with detailed past history, complete physical and genitourinary examination, urinalysis and ultrasonography. The evaluation of kidney sizes and urinary ultrasonography were performed with 5 MHz probe ultrasonography equipment transabdominally. The total body weight and length of all children were measured and body mass indexes were determined. All of the ultrasonographic examinations were performed by one radiologist to intervene interobserver differences and to standardize the sensitivity between two measurements. Results: The mean age of the children was 10.7 +/- 3.6 (7-15) years. Thirty-five children who had nocturnal and diurnal enuresis, pollakuria, urgency and eight children with pyuria and hematuria in their urinalysis and one child with agenesis of left kidney were excluded from the study (totally 44 children). The statistical analysis were performed with the data of 243 children, of which 121 (49.6%) were female and 122 (50.4%) were male. The difference in mean kidney sizes between boys and girls was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). In the comparison of mean kidney sizes with body mass index, there was significant relationship (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Ultrasonographically determined renal size is an important and reliable parameter in the evaluation of kidney diseases. The possibility of relationship between body mass index and kidney size measurement should also be appreciated.