STEROID RESISTANT NEPHROTIC SYNDROME IN CHILDREN – A CONTINUUM OF CHALLENGES

Abstract

Nephrotic syndrome represents one of the most frequent glomerular diseases among the pediatric population and while most of the children respond to steroid treatment, almost 20% of them are steroid-resistant. In this report, we present a case study of a 2 years old male with Steroid Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome (SRNS), complicated with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and sepsis. We underline diagnostic and treatment challenges associated with this pathological entity, as patients with SRNS are at risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), immunosuppressive-related complications as well as acute events such as thromboembolism. This field requires further in-depth studies, as the underlying immunological and genetic mechanisms are largely heterogenous, but we emphasize the multiple clinical-biological aspects that SRNS can present in a single patient, representing a real challenge in pediatric practice.

Keywords

• nephrotic syndrome; minimal change disease; steroid resistant; pediatrics