Is Urinary Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha a Predictor of Urological Abnormality in Children?

The role of urinary Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) in the diagnosis and treatment of different disorders has been evaluated recently. This study was conducted to evaluate the correlation of urinary TNF-α with urological abnormalities in pediatric pyelonephritis. This prospective study was conducted on children with acute pyelonephritis. Urine samples were tested for TNF-α (ELISA colorimetric, SANQUINE, USA) and creatinine in study group. Renal ultrasonography and voiding cystoureterography were performed in all patients, as well. One hundred pyelonephritic patients were enrolled in the study. Urinary TNF-α/Cr was in an abnormal range in 91.9% of the patients. This query revealed a significant correlation between urinary TNF-alpha and kidney ultrasound results (r=0.59) and grading of reflux in voiding cystoureterography (r=0.128). Furthermore, our study showed a significant difference between the level of urinary TNF-α/Cr in patients with and without abnormality on kidney ultrasonography (p value < 0.000). The results of this study indicate the efficacy of urinary TNF-α in detection of inflammatory disorders such as pyelonephritis and pediatric urological abnormalities.