Estimation of pro-renin as a prognostic marker for renal function in PUV patients

Objective: To estimate serum pro-renin, and its clinical significance, as a marker of chronic renal disease in posterior urethral valve (PUV) patients.

Patients and methods: Forty patients with a PUV that were admitted to the hospital between 2010 and 2012 were reviewed. Twenty age-matched patients who were admitted for other non-urological diseases were selected for control. Clinical parameters, serum creatinine, urea, eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) and serum pro-renin were analysed before and after valve ablation.

Results: Forty patients with PUV were included in the study. Three groups were formed according to age: <1 year, 1-3 years, >3 years. Pro-renin was measured using an ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) kit and 'Graph Pad Prism' Software. The Spearman's rho test was used for correlation. Serum pro-renin had a negative correlation with the age group (correlation coefficient -0.395, P-value 0.012), eGFR (correlation coefficient -0.850, P-value<0.001) and follow-up eGFR (correlation coefficient -0.471, P-value 0.002). The pro-renin level correlated positively with serum creatinine at presentation (correlation coefficient 0.671, P-value<0.001), blood urea at initial presentation (correlation coefficient 0.684, P-value<0.001), serum creatinine at follow-up (correlation coefficient 0.546, P-value<0.001) and blood urea at follow-up (correlation 0.603, P-value<0.001).

Conclusion: Pro-renin measured before PUV repair is associated with renal function three months after surgery.