A Prospective Search for Urinary Tract Abnormalities in Infants With Isolated Preauricular Tags

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective. To determine whether isolated preauricular tags are associated with urinary tract abnormalities.Methodology. Seventy consecutive infants with isolated preauricular tags were examined by ultrasonography for urinary tract abnormalities on day 3 or 4 of life between January 1993 and August 1999, after parental consent and ethics approval. Karyotype analysis was conducted in all infants with urinary tract abnormalities. The study group was compared with a control group of 69 infants without preauricular tags hospitalized during the same period. The control group consisted of infants who underwent urinary tract ultrasonography as part of an investigation for persistent regurgitation and/or vomiting associated with cyanotic spells.Results. Urinary tract abnormalities were detected in 6 infants with isolated preauricular tags (6/70; 8.6%). Types of anomalies were as follows: hydronephrosis in 5 cases and horseshoe kidney in 1 case. The causes of hydronephrosis were ureteropelvic junction obstruction in 3 cases and vescicoureteric reflux in 2 cases. None of the infants in the control group had such abnormalities. All infants with urinary tract abnormalities had normal chromosomes. No statistically significant differences existed between groups concerning birth weight, gestational age, intrauterine growth, and male-to-female ratio.Conclusions. This study suggests a significant prevalence of urinary tract abnormalities in infants with preauricular tags. We recommend, therefore, that urinary tract ultrasonography be conducted in the routine assessment of infants with isolated preauricular tags. Pediatrics 2000;105(5). URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/ full/105/5/e61; infant, preauricular tags, urinary tract anomalies, ultrasonography.

Association of isolated preauricular tags and nephrourological anomalies: case-control study

“…The association of IPT with increased incidence of hearing loss [2,4] and NUA [5][6][7] has led to the suggestion of performing auditory screening and renal ultrasonography (RUS) in all infants with IPT. The incidence of NUA has been reported to be as high as 8% in infants with IPT [5][6][7].…”

“…The incidence of NUA has been reported to be as high as 8% in infants with IPT [5][6][7]. However, other authors have failed to find evidence of this association, proposing that screening for NUA would not be necessary [8][9][10] unless other dysmorphic features or malformations are suspected [1,11].…”

“…Given these contradictory results, the reduced number of case/control studies [5,6,8,11], the existence of studies that include IPT and preauricular pits together [2,8,10] and the variable approach among pediatricians when facing an infant with IPT, we considered it necessary to evaluate the association between IPT and NUA in our population.…”

A Comparative Study between Pre-Natal and Post-Natal Screening Ultrasound in Detection of Renal Anomalies in Neonates with Isolated Minor Ear Anomalies

“…Isolated minor external ear malformation is relatively common congenital anomaly ranging from 5-10 per 1000 live birth [1][2][3][4]. The association between isolated minor ear anomalies and renal anomalies are not thoroughly investigated; moreover there is a general consensus that isolated minor ear anomalies are associated with higher incidence of renal anomalies [4].…”

“…The association between isolated minor ear anomalies and renal anomalies are not thoroughly investigated; moreover there is a general consensus that isolated minor ear anomalies are associated with higher incidence of renal anomalies [4].…”