Evaluation of Renal Volume by Ultrasonography in Patients with Essential Hypertension in Ile-Ife, South Western Nigeria

Background and Aims: To determine renal volume in adult patients with essential hypertension andcorrelate it with age, sex, body mass index, body surface area and duration of hypertension. Patientsand Methods: One hundred and fifty adults (75 males, 75 females) with essential hypertension andnormal renal status were evaluated sonographically in this prospective study. Fifty healthy individuals(25 males, 25 females) without hypertension were also evaluated as control. Renal volume was thencalculated from the kidney’s length, width and anterio-posterior diameter using the formula L x W x APx 0.523. Results: The range of renal volume obtained was 51.65–205.02 cm3, with a mean of 114.06± 29.78 cm3 for left kidney and 47.37–177.50 cm3 with a mean of 106.14 ± 25.42 cm3 for the rightkidney. The mean volumes of the right kidney and left kidneys in males (112.98 ± 25.56 cm3 and123.11± 32.49cm3, respectively), were significantly higher than in females (99.31 ± 23.07 cm3 and105.01± 23.77 cm3, respectively). Renal volume correlated significantly with BSA and BMI, butdecreased with age. The renal volume showed no correlation with duration of hypertension.Conclusion: Renal volume is higher in the left than the right kidney in hypertensive patients of bothsexes and female hypertensive patients have smaller kidney size compared to males. The study alsoshow that volume of both kidneys decreases with age and positive correlation between renal volume,BSA and BMI. However, there is no correlation between renal size and duration of hypertension.