Abstract
Fifty-five Arab children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) were seen at two regional hospitals in Kuwait over a 5-year period. There were 35 boys and 20 girls with a mean age of 5.3 years. The annual incidence was 7.2 and 6.0 per 100,000 children below 10 and 12 years of age, respectively. An initial response to steroids was noted in 84% with almost 50% responding within 1 week of therapy. Nine patients did not respond to steroids; histopathological classification of their renal biopsies showed 5 cases of membranoproliferative nephritis, 3 cases of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and 1 case of membranous nephropathy. Microscopic haematuria was noted at presentation in 7 of 46 steroid responders, in all 5 patients with membranoproliferative disease and in 1 of 3 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. We conclude that the incidence of PNS seems to be higher among Arab children than in Western countries. With regard to initial biochemical abnormalities, steroid response and subsequent relapses, the pattern is the same as elsewhere.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arneil GC (1961) 164 children with nephrosis. Lancet II: 1103–1110
Babaye FA, Abdurrahman AB, Naraya PT (1985) Childhood nephrotic syndrome in northern Nigeria. Management and follow-up of 40 patients. J Trop Pediatr 31: 71–73
Alzouki AY, Amin F, Jaiswal OP (1984) Primary nephrotic syndrome in Arab children. Arch Dis Child 59: 253–255
White RHR, Glasgow EF, Mills RJ (1970) Clinicopathological study of nephrotic syndrome in childhood. Lancet II: 1353–1359
Srivastava RN, Mayekar G, Anand R, Choudry VP, Ghai OP, Tandon HD (1975) Nephrotic syndrome in Indian children. Arch Dis Child 50: 626–630
Sharples PM, Poulton J, White RHR (1985) Steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome is more common in Asians. Arch Dis Child 60: 1014–1017
Feehally J, Kendell NP, Swift PGF, Walls J (1985) High incidence of minimal change nephrotic syndrome in Asians. Arch Dis Child 60: 1018–1020
Schlesinger ER, Sultz HA, Mosher WE, Feldman JG (1968) The nephrotic syndrome. Its incidence and implications for the community. Am J Dis Child 116: 623–632
International Study of Kidney Disease in Children (1981) Primary nephrotic syndrome in children: clinical significance of histopathological variants of minimal change and of diffuse mesangial hypercellularity. Kidney Int 20: 765–771
Trompeter RS (1984) Combined immunosuppression, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and prednisolone in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Int J Pediatr Nephrol 5: 122
Alfiler CA, Roy LP, Doran T, Sheldon A, Bashir A (1980) HLA-DR7 and steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome of childhood. Clin Nephrol 14: 71–74
Tiwari JL, Terasaki PI (1985) HLA and disease associations. Springer, New York Berlin Heidelberg
Bouissou F, Cambon-Thomsen A, Abbal M, Calot M, Kuhlein E, Barthe P, Ohayon E (1986) HLA typing and immunological studies in steroid sensitive and steroid resistant idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in children. Helv Paediatr Acta 41: 144
International Study of Kidney Disease in Children (1978) Nephrotic syndrome in children. Prediction of histopathology from clinical and laboratory characteristics at time of diagnosis. Kidney Int 13: 159–165
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zaki, M., Helin, I., Manandhar, D.S. et al. Primary nephrotic syndrome in Arab children in Kuwait. Pediatr Nephrol 3, 218–220 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00852914
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00852914