Steroid response rate in childhood nephrotic syndrome at a tertiary hospital in South-Eastern Nigeria

Background: Response to corticosteroids in childhood nephrotic syndrome (NS) remains the best prognostic marker of the disease. African children have been noted to respond poorly to corticosteroids. However, recent reports in some parts of Nigeria suggest high steroid responsiveness. Objectives: This study was done to determine the steroid response rate and associated clinical variables among children with NS in Umuahia, South-Eastern Nigeria. Patients and Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study of all the children managed for NS from June 2013 to June 2018 was retrieved and relevant information obtained. Data analysis was done using the SPSS software version 20.0 for Windows® (IBM SPSS Inc. 2011 Chicago, Illinois, USA). Results: A total of 30 children aged 2 years to 15 years with a median of 8 years were studied. Male-to-female ratio was 2:1. Fifteen patients achieved remission with steroid with remission rates of 50% overall and 62.5% among children with idiopathic NS. Patients that achieved remission had a lower mean age (mean difference = -5.13, confidence interval [CI] −7.73, −2.54; P