Early-in-Life Serum Aldosterone Levels Could Predict Surgery in Patients with Obstructive Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract: A Pilot Study

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether serum aldosterone levels or plasmatic renin activity (PRA) measured early in life (1–3 months) could predict a future surgical intervention for obstructive congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). Twenty babies aged 1–3 months of life with suspected obstructive CAKUT were prospectively enrolled. The patients underwent a 2-year follow-up and were classified as patients needing or not needing surgery. In all of the enrolled patients, PRA and serum aldosterone levels were measured at 1–3 months of life and were evaluated as predictors of surgery by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Patients undergoing surgery during follow-up showed significantly higher levels of aldosterone at 1–3 months of life compared to those who did not require surgery (p = 0.006). The ROC curve analysis of the aldosterone for obstructive CAKUT needing surgery showed an area under the ROC curve of 0.88 (95%CI = 0.71–0.95; p = 0.001). The aldosterone cut-off of 100 ng/dL presented 100% sensitivity and 64.3% specificity and predicted surgery in 100% of cases. The PRA at 1–3 months of life was not a predictor of surgery. In conclusion, serum aldosterone levels at 1–3 months could predict the need for surgery during obstructive CAKUT follow-up.