Kidney volume, kidney function, and ambulatory blood pressure in children born extremely preterm with and without nephrocalcinosis

Background Reduced kidney volume (KV) following prematurity is a proxy for reduced nephron number and is associated with the development of hypertension and end-stage renal disease in adults. We investigated whether extreme prematurity affects KV, function, and blood pressure in school-aged children and if nephrocalcinosis (NC) developed during the neonatal period had additional effects. Methods We investigated 60 children at a mean age of 7.7 years: 20 born extremely preterm (EPT < 28 weeks gestational age with NC (NC+)), 20 born EPT without NC (NC−), and 19 born as full-term infants (control). We measured KV by ultrasound, collected blood and urine samples to evaluate renal function, and measured office and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM). Results Children born EPT had significantly smaller kidneys (EPT (NC+ NC−) vs control (estimated difference, 11.8 (CI − 21.51 to − 2.09 ml), p = 0.018) and lower but normal cystatin C–based glomerular filtration rate compared with control (estimated difference, − 10.11 (CI − 0.69 to − 19.5), p = 0.035). KV and function were not different between NC+ and NC− groups. Change in KV in relation to BSA (KV/BSA) from the neonatal period to school age showed significantly more EPT children with neonatal NC having a negative evolution of KV ( p = 0.01). Blood pressure was normal and not different between the 3 groups. Fifty percent of EPT had a less than 10% day-to-night decline in ABPM. Conclusions Kidney growth and volume is affected by EPT birth with NC being a potential aggravating factor. Circadian blood pressure regulation seems abnormal in EPT-born children.