Non Invasive Markers Of Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction

Main Category: Urology / Nephrology
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry;  MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Article Date: 02 Mar 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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UroToday.com - This study by Decramer, et al in the October 2007 issue of World Journal of Urology looked at non-invasive markers for ureteropelvic junction obstruction to predict the necessity of pyeloplasty. It evaluated both non-invasive urinary biomarkers for UPJ obstruction as well as proteomics. Proteomics is a large-scale study of protein structure and function and is often considered the next step in the study of biological systems after genomics. It appears to be much more complicated that genomics mostly because while and organism genome is rather constant, a proteome differs from cell to cell and constantly changes through biochemical interactions with the genome and the environment.

In this study the group probes the entire urinary proteome for a set of biomarkers that correlates with the degree of UPJ obstruction.

Currently, we follow UPJ obstructions ultrasonography and invasive modalities such as radionuclide, renal scan as well as MR urography. Intravenous urography is also utilized but to a lesser degree at most institutions.

Because urine can be collected in a noninvasive manner, if urinary biomarkers along with proteomics can predict the clinical evolutions of these patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction then this study will show that both utilizing urinary biomarkers and proteomics will be complimentary and hopefully replace the current invasive follow-ups for ureteropelvic junction obstruction in newborns as well as the remaining pediatric population.

Decramer S, Bascands JL, Schanstra JP

World J Urol. 25(5): 457-465, October 2007
Doi: 10.1007/s00345-007-0201-8

Reported by UroToday.com Medical Editor Pasquale Casale, MD Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

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