Background. We aimed to detect complications and associated risk factors in patients with renal scarring (RS) secondary to recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI).

Methods. Fifty patients with RS were compared with 25 patients without RS by means of, serum creatinine, 24- hour urinary creatinine clearance, and 24-hour urinary albumin levels. Office blood pressure (BP) examination and ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) were also performed.

Results. Vesicoureteral reflux was detected in 50 patients. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 90 ml/min/1.73 m2 was observed in 5 patients with RS but in no patient without RS. Albuminuria was significantly higher in patients with bilateral RS and severe RS. Patients with albuminuria had a significantly lower GFR than those without. All patients with ambulatory hypertension (HT) were in the RS group, and 60% of those had isolated nocturnal HT. Compared to those without RS, patients with RS had significantly higher SDS values for all BP readings, 24-hour and nighttime systolic and diastolic BP loads with significantly lower systolic dipping. GFR was negatively correlated with diastolic BP SDS and diastolic BP load in patients with RS. Daytime diastolic BP load was significantly higher in those with severe RS than in those with mild RS.

Conclusions. Isolated nocturnal HT could be an early sign of complications in RS of UTI. Albuminuria is related to increased BP and impaired renal function. Therefore, ABPM and assessing albuminuria should be a routine part of the follow-up. Diastolic BP elevations could be associated with worse outcomes in these patients.

Keywords: albuminuria, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, hypertension, renal scarring