Variation among pediatric urologists and across 2 continents in antibiotic prophylaxis and evaluation for prenatally detected hydronephrosis: a survey of American and European pediatric urologists.

PURPOSE: No clear practice guidelines exist to evaluate prenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis or recommend antibiotic prophylaxis. We hypothesized that among pediatric urologists there is significant variability in prenatal hydronephrosis evaluation and management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We created a survey questionnaire to answer certain questions, including 1) what prenatal parameters trigger postnatal evaluation, 2) how pediatric urologists manage prenatal hydronephrosis and 3) what are their recommendations for antibiotic prophylaxis. Survey questions included demographics and practice patterns, and influences concerning radiographic tests and prophylactic antibiotics. A Web based survey link was sent to members of the Urology Section, American Academy of Pediatrics and the European Society for Pediatric Urology. We received 156 responses. We also compared practices based in Europe in 60 respondents and in the United States in 70.

RESULTS: There was significant response variability to all questions answered with no question achieving a consensus of more than 50%. European and American respondents were equally distributed in regard to years in practice and number of patients per month. Radiographic factors influenced the decision to perform further imaging or provide prophylactic antibiotics in around 50% of respondents. There was wide variability in parameters triggering intervention and in prophylactic antibiotics. Pediatric urologists in practice more than 15 years were less likely to prescribe antibiotic prophylaxis at birth than those in practice less than 15 years. Variation also existed by geographic region with American physicians more likely to prescribe antibiotics for any prenatal hydronephrosis compared to their European counterparts (77% vs 40%, p <0.005) and European physicians more likely to be influenced by prenatal pelvic diameter when obtaining postnatal imaging (unilateral 70% vs 47%, p = 0.009 and bilateral 55% vs 36%, p = 0.03, respectively). European pediatric urologists were also more likely to order renal scans than their American counterparts. These differences were less significant for high grade hydronephrosis.

CONCLUSIONS: Even among pediatric urologists there is considerable variation in radiographic resource and prophylactic antibiotics use when managing prenatal hydronephrosis. Some variation may be explained by regional differences but it is most probably due to absent clear guidelines based on prospective, randomized, controlled trials.