The normal reference values and estimation formulae of renal structural parameters in Chinese children based on large-sample CT data

Yong Qin; En Liu; Xiaoying Ni; Zhongxin Huang; Lu Tian; Xiaoya He; Jinhua Cai; Qiu Li

doi:10.3389/fped.2023.1174310

The normal reference values and estimation formulae of renal structural parameters in Chinese children based on large-sample CT data

Front Pediatr. 2023 Jul 17:11:1174310. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1174310. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yong Qin¹, En Liu², Xiaoying Ni¹, Zhongxin Huang¹, Lu Tian¹, Xiaoya He¹, Jinhua Cai¹, Qiu Li³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
² Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
³ Department of Nephrology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Abstract

Purpose: Our aim was to investigate the normal reference value and to establish an estimation formulae for renal structural parameters (RSPs) based on large-sample CT data of Chinese children, which can provide a data reference for the clinical assessment of kidney development and diseases in Chinese children.

Materials and methods: A total of 438 children aged 0-17 years with normal renal CT images and basic indices were continuously collected. The bilateral RSP, including renal length (RL), renal width (RW), renal thickness (RT), renal volume (RV), renal cortical thickness (RCT), renal artery diameter (RAD) and renal CT value, were measured. Kendall's rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation between RSP and sex. Pearson's correlation was used to analyze the correlation between RSP and age, height and weight. Differences in the RSP of bilateral kidneys were analyzed via a paired samples t-test. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the multivariate relationships between RSP and basic indices and establish the estimation formula of RSP.

Results: The RSP of normal kidneys showed a dynamic increasing trend with age, except for the CT values. The reference value ranges (95% confidence interval) of normal RSP for each age group were determined. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated strong correlations between RSP (RL, RW, RT, RV, RCT and, RAD) and basic indices (age, height and, weight), with height exhibiting the greatest correlation coefficient, followed by age or weight. Kendall's analysis showed that none of the RSPs were correlated with sex. The RL, RW, RV and RAD of the left kidney were larger than those of the right kidney, and the RT and RCT of the right kidney exhibited opposite results. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant linear relationship between the RSP (RL, RW, RT, RV and, RCT) and the variables of the basic indices. The estimation formulae for calculating the RSP were established.

Conclusion: This is the first Chinese study to report of the trends, normal reference values and estimation formulae of normal RSP based on large-sample CT data. These results can provide data references for assessing adequate kidney growth or disease damage in Chinese children.

Keywords: CT; Chinese; children; kidney; reference value; structural parameter.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Chongqing medical scientific research project (Joint project of Chongqing Health Commission and Science and Technology Bureau) (No.2021MSXM059) and The Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing (No.cstc2020jcyj-msxmX0235).