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.