Infantile nephrotic syndrome and atopy.

Nephrotic syndrome presenting in the 1st year of life is often associated with a very poor prognosis for normal renal function. A small proportion of patients, particularly boys, presenting after the first 3 months of life with idiopathic-type, steroid-sensitive nephrosis, have a much better prognosis and may achieve sustained remission. We describe three boys with infantile idiopathic nephrotic syndrome of the mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis type who went into complete remission. The patients, their first-degree relatives or both suffered from atopy (eczema, asthma or hayfever). This is the first report linking infantile nephrotic syndrome and atopy. The literature linking idiopathic nephrotic syndrome and atopy is reviewed, and the implications of our findings discussed.