profile of nephrotic syndrome in Alexandria University children' s hospital: ten years experience

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted on 356 nephrotic children who attended the nephrology clinic of Alexandria University Children's Hospital [AUCH] between January 1992 and June 2002 in order to determine the profile of nephritic syndrome [NS] in these patients. They were 216 male and 140 females and their age at onset of the disease ranged from 3 months to 14.5 years [mean 4.9 +/- 3.03 years]. All cases were edematous at presentation while gross hematuria, microscopic hematuria and hypertension were present in 8.4%, 18.3% and 25.8% of cases respectively. Infectionsat some time in the course of the diseaseoccurred in 27.5% of cases with peritonitis as the commonest type [35.7% of total infections]. Familial cases represented 1.7% of cases only. Also, bronchial asthma was present in 3.1% of cases.As regards the long term outcome to steroid therapy, 25.8% had long lasting remission [LLR], 31.2% were infrequent relapsers [IR], 18.6% were steroid dependent [SD], 5.6% were frequent relapsers [FR] and 18.8% were steroid resistant [SR]. As regards the prognosis, end stage renal failure [ESRF] represented 1.7% of total cases, all were steroid resistant. Mortality rate was 4.2%, of which 60% were SR. The causes of death included renal failure, septicemia and thromboembolic complications