Spectrum and contributing factors of renal diseases among Jordanian children

Renal diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children. They can affect children in various ways: they vary from completely treatable without long-lasting consequences to severe disorders such as chronic kidney disease. The causes of renal disease may differ from one country to another. Understanding the spectrum and identifying the contributing factors of renal diseases in a specific country promote early diagnosis, facilitate treatment, and prevent complications such as renal failure and end-stage kidney disease. This study was conducted to establish the spectrum and contributing factors to renal diseases among Jordanian children receiving health care in a tertiary hospital in Amman, Jordan (Prince Hamza Hospital). A convenience sample of 129 children diagnosed with renal diseases, treated and followed in our nephrology clinic, were interviewed during 2015 to 2017. A kidney-disease patient questionnaire was used to interview the children or their caregivers. The study revealed that the most common renal disease among the participants was urinary tract infection (UTI, 35.7%), followed by congenital diseases (34.1%), then chronic renal failure (CRF, 11.6%). There were several contributing factors of renal disease among the studied children, such as malnutrition, poverty, high rate of consanguinity, delayed diagnosis, and geographical location.