Is joint hypermobility associated with vesico-ureteral reflux? An assessment of 50 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether there is an increased prevalence of joint hypermobility in patients with vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 50 patients with primary VUR and matched controls drawn from a reference population. Joint mobility was assessed using the Bulbena hypermobility score. RESULTS: We identified significantly more patients with VUR with generalized joint hypermobility than controls (24% vs 6.7%, P= 0.007). CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm our clinical observation of an increased rate of joint hypermobility in patients with VUR. We speculate that an altered composition of the connective tissue may contribute to the severity of the (pre-existing) VUR phenotype.