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Kidney growth in 717 healthy children aged 0–18 months: a longitudinal cohort study

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Abstract

Kidney size is an important parameter in the evaluation of children with renal disease. However, reference materials for kidney size in healthy children have been limited beyond the neonatal period. We performed a longitudinal cohort study of 717 healthy children born at term with normal birth weight. Kidney size and shape were determined by ultrasonography and related to gender, age, and body size (weight, length, body surface area, skinfold thickness) at 0, 3, and 18 months of age. Gender-differentiated reference charts were established. Boys had significantly larger kidney volumes than girls (P<0.001) and larger relative volumes (kidney volume/weight) at 0 and 3 months (P<0.001), but not at 18 months of age. The best single predictor of gender-differentiated kidney volume was weight. Relative kidney volume changed with increasing age and height in a two-phase pattern: an initial decrease until a height of 65–70 cm was reached followed by a stable level. In conclusion, kidney size was significantly influenced by gender, age, and body composition. Relative kidney volume decreased with increasing age and height in a two-phase pattern. These characteristic changes in kidney volume indicated that infant kidney growth might be influenced by sex steroids and growth hormone in addition to body composition.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the participating families and to the staff of the Obstetric Departments of the University Hospital of Copenhagen for excellent co-operation, and we appreciate the skilled help of our assisting nurses and students. The present study was supported by the Danish Research Council (no. 9700833), Research Foundation of The Copenhagen Hospital Corporation (no. 109/00), The Copenhagen Hospital Corporation (no. 134), European Commission (no. QLK4–1999–01422 and QLRT-2001–00269), and the Ville Heise Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Ida M. Schmidt, Katharina M. Main, Ida N. Damgaard, Claudia Mau, Anna-Maarit Haavisto, Marla Chellakooty, Kirsten A. Boisen & Jørgen H. Petersen

  2. Department of Nephrology, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Klaus Olgaard

  3. Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jørgen H. Petersen & Thomas Scheike

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  1. Ida M. Schmidt
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  2. Katharina M. Main
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  5. Anna-Maarit Haavisto
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Correspondence to Ida M. Schmidt.

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Schmidt, I.M., Main, K.M., Damgaard, I.N. et al. Kidney growth in 717 healthy children aged 0–18 months: a longitudinal cohort study. Pediatr Nephrol 19, 992–1003 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-004-1479-z

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