[Long-term follow-up study of children with minimal change nephrotic syndrome].

We conducted a long-term follow-up study of 37 children with biopsy-proved minimal change nephrotic syndrome during a period of over 6 years from onset to adulthood. These patients were classified into 4 groups of 13 infrequent relapsers, 17 frequent relapsers, 3 non-responders and 4 no-relapsers according to the International Study of Kidney Disease in Children (ISKDC). All patients were treated with conventional prednisolone therapy. Two cases of infrequent relapsers, 7 cases of frequent relapsers and 1 case of non responders relapsed in adult life. Two cases of infrequent relapsers and 1 case of frequent relapsers relapsed in adult life after remission for 5 or more years. We concluded that minimal change nephrotic syndromes in childhood should be followed up over a long duration in adult life, evenly in cases with good steroid responsiveness.