DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF SERUM AND URINARY BIOMARKERS FOR RENAL SCARING IN CHILDREN WITH VESICOURETERAL REFLUX: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

jpedsurg.org

Renal scarring (RS) is a significant long-term complication of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), traditionally diagnosed by dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy, a costly imaging modality involving ionizing radiation. Non-invasive serum and urinary biomarkers have been proposed as alternative diagnostic tools. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these biomarkers for detecting RS in children with VUR.

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Article · Oct 2025 · 1 min read

In brief

This systematic review evaluates non-invasive serum and urinary biomarkers as alternatives to DMSA scintigraphy for detecting renal scarring in pediatric VUR patients. The analysis addresses the need for radiation-free, cost-effective diagnostic tools in managing this common pediatric urological condition.

DMSA scintigraphy remains the gold standard for renal scarring detection but involves radiation exposure and high cost.
Serum and urinary biomarkers offer non-invasive alternatives for diagnosing renal scarring in pediatric VUR patients.
Meta-analysis evaluates diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers to potentially reduce reliance on imaging in VUR follow-up.

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