vason K Identification of a distinct type IV collagen alpha chain with restricted kidney distribution and assignment of its gene to the locus of X chromosome-linked Alport syndrome. Proc Natl Acad Sei USA

Congenital urethral valves: findings in 73 children. Objective. To inventory symptoms of children with urethral valves, and their prognosis. Design. Descriptive, Setting. Department of paediatrics and urology, University of Nij megen. Methods. Symptoms were evaluated from clinical data and interviews of the parents of 73 patients. The glomerular filtra­ tion rate (GFR) was calculated from the serum creatinine level by the method of Counahan. Results. Symptoms indicating an urethral obstruction, e.g. diminished urinary jet, were rare (20% of the children). Gen­ eral symptoms prevailed: vomiting, anorexia, growth failure, fever. After 2 years 11 out of 53 children had a GFR < 25 ml/ min/1,73 m2 body surface area. Conclusion. Specific symptoms indicating an urethral ob­ struction are rare. The glomerular filtration is often diminished. There are no measures to prevent loss of renal function. 72 Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 1995 14 januari;i39(2) L I T E R A T U U R 1 Counahan R, Chantier C, Ghazali S, Kirkwood B, Rose F, Barratt TM. Estimation o f glomerular filtration rate from plasma creatinine concentration in children. Arch Dis Childh 1976;5 1 :875-8 . 2 Heijden AJ van der, Versteegh FG, Wolff ED, s\ikhai RN, Scholtmeijer RJ. Acute tubular dysfunction in infants with obstructive uropathy. Acta Paediatr Scand 1985;74:589-94. 3 Parkliouse HF, B arra tt TM, Dillon M.J, Duffy P G , Fay J, Ransley PG, et al. Long-term outcome of boys with posterior urethral valves. Br J Urol 1988;62:59-62. 4 Groenewegen A A M , Sukhai RN, Nauta J, Scholtmeijer RJ, Nijman RJM. Results of renal transplantation in boys trea ted for posterior urethral valves. J Urol 1993;149:1517-20. 5 Beck AD. The effect of intra-uterine urinary obstruction upon the development of the fetal kidney . J Uroi 1971;105:784-9 . 6 Peters CA, Carr MC, Lais A, Retik AB, Mandell J. T he response of the fetal kidney to obstruction. J Urol 1992;148:503 -9. 7 Stephens FD, Congenital malformations of the urinary tract. New York: Praeger, 1983. 8 Bellinger MF, Comstock CH, Grosso D, Zaino R. Fetal posterior urethral valves and renal dysplasia at 15 weeks gestational age. J Urol 1983;129:1238-9. Aanvaard op 20 juli 1994