Paediatric nephrotic syndrome in Auckland, New Zealand.

OBJECTIVE

To review children with nephrotic syndrome in Auckland, New Zealand.

METHODS

All children admitted to Auckland Children's Hospital between January 1984 and December 1994 with nephrotic syndrome and a renal biopsy had their charts retrospectively reviewed and the appropriate information summarised.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven children biopsied with nephrotic syndrome were available for review. The mean age at diagnosis was 5.4 years, standard deviation (SD) 3.9 years, with mean follow-up of 5.7 years. The histologies of the renal biopsies were: minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) in 37%, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in 19%, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) in 23% and other causes in 21%. Maori children were most likely to have MPGN. Steroid resistance was present in 66% of children. End stage renal failure developed in 26% of patients and chronic renal failure in 4% of patients.

CONCLUSION

In this series the proportion of children with MCNS is low and significant numbers of children with nephrotic syndrome progressed to chronic renal failure and end stage renal failure.