Early Treatment of Acute Pyelonephritis in Children Fails to Reduce Renal Scarring: Data From the Italian Renal Infection Study Trials

OBJECTIVES. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for febrile infants and young children suspected of having a urinary tract infection is early antibiotic treatment, given parenterally if necessary. In support of this recommendation, data suggesting that delay in treatment of acute pyelonephritis increases the risk of kidney damage are cited. Because the risk was not well defined, we investigated renal scarring associated with...