Impact of using an evidence-based clinical guideline for the management of primary vesicoureteral reflux in children.

OBJETIVE To analyze changes in the therapeutic approach at a tertiary care hospital following the implementation of a clinical guideline for the treatment of primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children. POPULATION AND METHODS Retrospective study conducted in a cohort of patients with primary VUR (1989-2015) aged 0-15 years at a tertiary care hospital. The therapeutic approach before and after the development of the clinical guideline (2008) was compared. RESULTS A total of 297 patients (49.8% boys, 50.2% girls) were included; their mean age at the time of diagnosis was 21.71 months. VUR grading was: VUR I-III 45.1%, VUR IV-V 54,9%; 124 were treated after the implementation of the clinical guideline (group 1), and 173, before (group 2). The mean follow-up period was 124.32 months. A conservative approach was the initial treatment in 70.3% of group 1 patients and 67.9% of group 2 patients. The number of surgeries remains constant (31.45% versus 31.79%), with an increase in the number of endoscopic surgeries (p < 0.005). The profile of patients has changed based on the application of the algorithm proposed by the guideline. Fewer surgeries were done in patients with VUR IV-V (82.32% versus 59.9%, p= 0.000) and there were fewer cases of kidney damage at diagnosis (49.4% versus 9.8%, p= 0.000). CONCLUSIONS The implementation of the clinical guideline has favored an initially conservative approach in patients with severe grade VUR and nephropathy, for whom surgery was traditionally indicated initially. Using clinical guidelines favors a unanimous, evidencebased approach that reduces the performance of unnecessary invasive procedures.