Preliminary Study on Renal Ultrasound Biometry in Apparently Healthy 18 to 30-Year-Old Subjects with Normal Renal Function in Ouagadougou

Abstract

Introduction: In our practice, renal measurements in patients with normal renal function usually appear to be lower compared to standards reported in reference literature. The standards are probably different in our context. Given the importance of renal biometrics in nephrological practice, we felt it necessary to carry out this preliminary study in order to identify an order of reference measurements appropriate to our context. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that took place from 18 August to 04 November 2018 at the Yalgado Ouedrarogo University Hospital Center. The first 100 subjects aged between 18 and 30 years who met the following inclusion criteria were selected: to be black african Burkinabe and to have normal renal function. The height, width and thickness of each kidney were measured using ultra-sound scanners. For statistical tests, a value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The average age was 23.9 ± 6.1 years and the sex ratio was 2.2. Mean heights, widths and renal thicknesses were 94.5 ± 14.5, 38.7 ± 10.7 and 36.3 ± 10.3 mm, and 96.7 ± 16.7, 42.7 ± 16.7 and 36.8 ± 10.8 mm respectively for right and left kidneys. The distribution of the different renal dimensions in our sample followed a normal distribution. In the particular case of the right kidney, the probability that its height was between 79.2 and 109.7 mm was 0.95 and the probability that it was less than 79.2 mm or greater than 109.7 mm was 0.05. Renal height was significantly higher in subjects with height greater than 1.70 m (p ≤ 0.02). The left kidneys were on average significantly larger than the right kidneys (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Our study is not extrapolable to the general population of Burkina Faso. It suggests, however, that the kidneys of the apparently healthy Burkinabe subject are smaller than what is reported in anatomy reference books. Our work, which is preliminary, should be deepened through a national survey. In the meantime, we should consider, in the nephrological assessment of the Burkinabe patient, the results of the renal biometrics we report.