Specifics of the renal abscess in nephrology: observations of a clinic from a county hospital in Western Romania.

During the last years renal abscesses are being diagnosed with increasing frequency in Nephrology departments. Progresses achieved in imaging procedures permit a timely diagnosis of renal abscesses. At the same time modern antibiotic therapies permit the treatment of this disease in Nephrology departments. In the current paper we present some specifics of renal abscess management encountered in a Nephrology department in western Romania. We performed a retrospective analysis of 2793 patients with upper urinary tract infection hospitalised during 2002-2009 in our Nephrology Department, of whom 44 showed renal abscesses. Uropathic factors were identified less frequently, in 28% of the renal abscess cases, compared to cases in the literature where these have been reported in over 50% of the patients. General predisposing conditions were pregnancy in 7%, postviral cirrhosis in 4%, diabetes mellitus in 4%, surgically single kidney in 2%, polycystic kidney disease in 4% of the patients. We diagnosed renal abscesses in relatively young patients (mean age 38.73 +/- 19.64), fact that could be due to a decreased immune resistance of these patients. Renal function impairment was present in 17% of the patients. Urine cultures were positive in 25% with a predominance of E. coli and rarely of other germs (e.g. Citrobacter and Candida albicans). Therapy consisted of broad spectrum antibiotics applied to all patients. Two patients required the insertion of double J catheter. Five patients (11%) were referred to the Urology Department, where one patient underwent nephrectomy. Renal abscess was diagnosed and treated in the majority of cases in the Nephrology Department, and only in special cases is a referral to the Urology clinic required.