Retracted: Prevalence of Anatomical Anomalies in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with UTIs in a Tertiary Care Center's Urology and Nephrology Ward

This article has been retracted. For details, please refer to the Retraction Notice given below.

Abstract

This article has been retracted. For details, please refer to the Retraction Notice given below.

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^{Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a significant pediatric health concern, often linked to anatomical anomalies of the urinary tract. Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of these anomalies in children with UTIs is crucial for effective diagnosis and management.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and nature of anatomical anomalies in children diagnosed with UTIs, focusing on age and gender distribution, and to identify common anomalies associated with UTIs in pediatric patients.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Children's Medical Center in Tehran, from March to September 2022. The study included pediatric patients admitted with UTIs, excluding those over 18 years of age. Convenience sampling was used to target at least 70 patients with definitive anatomical anomalies. Data collection involved reviewing medical records and laboratory results, focusing on variables such as age, sex, paraclinical tests, and types of anatomical anomalies. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 25, employing Fisher’s exact or χ2 tests for categorical variables, and the student’s t-test, ANOVA, and Chi-Square tests for continuous variables.
Results: The average age of patients was 29.61 months (SD = 35.28), with a median of 12.50 months (IQR = 36). The average number of UTI episodes was 3.43 (SD = 2.31), ranging from 1 to 10 episodes. Bilateral hydronephrosis was observed in 15 patients (21.7%), while neurogenic bladder and Reflux Grade 4 or 5 were identified in 11 (15.9%) and 14 (20.3%) patients, respectively. VCUG was performed in 63 patients (91.3%). Unilateral hydronephrosis was the most common imaging finding, observed in 33 patients (47.8%).
Conclusion: The study concludes that children around 29 months of age, particularly females, are more prone to have anatomical anomalies associated with UTIs. Bilateral hydronephrosis was a prevalent anomaly. However, limitations such as potential data unavailability or misinterpretation, errors in laboratory data, and patient comorbidities must be considered when interpreting these findings.}
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Retraction Notice
The article titled “Prevalence of Anatomical Anomalies in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with UTIs in a Tertiary Care Center's Urology and Nephrology Ward” (DOI: https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v3i2.298), published in the Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research, has been retracted as of [Date of Retraction].

Reason for Retraction:
Following a comprehensive investigation, it was determined that the article contained significant ethical and procedural shortcomings. The data used in the study was associated with a research project conducted at the Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), and registered under IR.TUMS.CHMC.REC.1401.203. However, the necessary permissions, including institutional and supervisory acknowledgments, were not appropriately secured. Furthermore, concerns were raised regarding misattribution of authorship, as key contributors were omitted while individuals without direct involvement were included. These issues represent deviations from the ethical standards outlined by the Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines (1). This retraction is issued to uphold the integrity of the academic record and ensure compliance with publication ethics.

Journal Action:

The article has been retracted from the journal’s archive and marked as "Retracted" in all online versions.
A watermark indicating "RETRACTED" has been added to the article PDF. The Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. We apologize to our readers and stakeholders for any inconvenience caused.

Reference

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Retraction guidelines [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2024 Nov 21]. Available from: https://publicationethics.org/retraction-guidelines.