Urogenital abnormalities in male children with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Background: Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is presumed to occur prenatally and is present in over 99% of adult males with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Aims: To describe ultrasonic features in male children with CF. We aimed to describe urogenital anomalies, comparing pancreatic sufficient and insufficient CF patients.

Methods: Pelvic and scrotal ultrasonography were performed in 12 boys with CF aged 2-12 years and 16 age matched healthy controls.

Results: Nine patients had pancreatic insufficiency (PI): seven had two severe mutations and two had unknown mutations. Three boys were pancreatic sufficient (PS), two with splicing mutations (5T and 3849+10kb C-T respectively) and borderline sweat tests. Seminal vesicles were visualised in 5/12 patients and 8/16 controls, compared to non-visualisation reported in all adults with CBAVD. Testicular microlithiasis was found in 4/18 PI, 0/6 PS, and 0/32 control testes, compared to 0.6-1.4% in healthy males and 15% in CF adults; 7/18 PI, 4/6 PS, and 0/32 control testes were smaller than predicted for age. The epididymal head was non-homogeneous with cysts, hypo-, or hyper-echogenicity in 5/18 PI, 1/6 PS, and 0/32 control testes.

Conclusions: Genital abnormalities may occur early in CF, but are less common than described in adults. They are found more often in pancreatic insufficient than in pancreatic sufficient CF patients. However, a positive finding, if present, may aid in the diagnosis of the latter. A larger longitudinal study is recommended to better define the onset and progression of urogenital abnormalities.