Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome in Childhood: A Retrospective Analysis of Two Hundred and Eighty Nine Patients

Abstract

Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the demographic and histopathological characteristics and response to medications in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in Turkey. Methods: We reviewed medical records of patients older than one year, who were newly diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome and had been followed for at least one year in our department between November 1994 and March, 2013. Results: A total of 289 children (169 boys) were included in the study. Fifty theree patients (18.4%) were with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome, 33 (11.4%) with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome and 53 (18.4%) were with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. Cyclosporine A (CsA), cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, levamisole, azathioprine, and rituximab were used as steroid-sparing agents in some patients. The number of patients who were responder to steroid and to CsA was similar. Majority of patients with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome were also resistant to mycophenolate mofetil and CsA. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of minimal change disease based on kidney biopsy especially in boys younger than six years of age and response to steroid and CsA was almost similar.

Keywords

• Children
• idiopathic nephrotic syndrome
• steroid resistance
• steroid dependent
• relapse