|                                                                                                         |                         | A bowl of red potatoes.

A person walking on the beach.

A doctor taking a patient's blood pressure. |                                |                                             |                                             | A bowl of red potatoes.

A person walking on the beach.

A doctor taking a patient's blood pressure. | A bowl of red potatoes. |  | A person walking on the beach. |  | A doctor taking a patient's blood pressure. | 
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|A bowl of red potatoes.

A person walking on the beach.

A doctor taking a patient's blood pressure. | A bowl of red potatoes. |                                                                                                          | A person walking on the beach. |                                             | A doctor taking a patient's blood pressure. |                                                                                                         
|A bowl of red potatoes.                                                                                  |                         | A person walking on the beach.                                                                           |                                | A doctor taking a patient's blood pressure. |                                            

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |                   |                                                                                                   | dots | Email To A Friend | Email To A Friend | Home : Kidney & Urologic Diseases A-Z List of Topics and Titles : Kidney Disease in Children : Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome


Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

On this page:

Minimal Change Disease
Other Conditions That Involve the Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome
Hope Through Research
For More InformationChildhood nephrotic syndrome can occur at any age but is most common between the ages of 11⁄2 and 5 years.  It seems to affect boys more often than girls.

A child with the nephrotic syndrome has these signs:

high levels of protein in the urine
low levels of protein in the blood
swelling resulting from buildup of salt and waterThe nephrotic syndrome is not itself a disease.  But it can be the first sign of a disease that damages the tiny blood-filtering units (glomeruli) in the kidneys, where urine is made.

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs found in the lower back.  They are about the size of a fist.  They clean the blood by filtering out excess water and salt and waste products from food.  Healthy kidneys keep protein in the blood, which helps the blood soak up water from tissues.  But kidneys with damaged filters may let protein leak into the urine.  As a result, not enough protein is left in the blood to soak up the water.  The water then moves from the blood into body tissues and causes swelling.  You may see swelling around your child's eyes, belly, and legs.  Your child may urinate less often than usual and may gain weight from the excess water.

To diagnose childhood nephrotic syndrome, the doctor may ask for a urine sample to check for protein.  The doctor will dip a strip of chemically treated paper into the urine sample.  Too much protein in the urine will make the paper change color.  Or the doctor may ask for a 24-hour collection of urine for a more precise measurement of the protein and other substances in the urine.

The doctor may take a blood sample to see how well the kidneys are removing wastes.  Healthy kidneys remove creatinine and urea nitrogen from the blood.  If the blood contains high levels of these waste products, some kidney damage may have already occurred.  But most children with the nephrotic syndrome do not have permanent kidney damage.

In some cases, the doctor may want to examine a small piece of the child's kidney under a microscope to see if something specific is causing the syndrome.  The procedure of collecting a small tissue sample from the kidney is called a **biopsy**, and it is usually performed with a long needle passed through the skin.  The child will be awake during the procedure and receive calming drugs and a local painkiller at the site of the needle entry.  General anesthesia may be used in some cases.  The child will stay overnight in the hospital to rest and allow the health care team to ensure that no problems occur.

A strip of chemically treated paper will change color when dipped in urine with too much protein.

[Top]

Minimal Change Disease

The most common form of the nephrotic syndrome in children is called **minimal change disease**.  Doctors do not know what causes it.  The condition is called minimal change disease because children with this form of the nephrotic syndrome have normal or nearly normal biopsies.  If your child is diagnosed with minimal change disease, the doctor will probably prescribe prednisone, which belongs to a class of drugs called corticosteroids.  Prednisone stops the movement of protein from the blood into the urine, but it does have side effects that the doctor will explain. Following the doctor's directions exactly is essential to protect your child's health.  The doctor may also prescribe another type of drug called a diuretic, which reduces the swelling by helping the child urinate.

When protein is no longer present in the urine, the doctor will begin to reduce the dosage of prednisone.  This process takes several weeks.  Some children never get sick again, but most do develop swelling and protein in the urine again, usually following a viral illness.  However, as long as the child continues to respond to prednisone and the urine becomes protein free, he or she has an excellent long-term outlook without kidney damage.

Children who relapse frequently, or who seem to be dependent on prednisone or have side effects from it, may be given a second type of drug called a cytotoxic agent.  The agents most frequently used are cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, and cyclosporine.  After reducing protein in the urine with prednisone, the doctor may prescribe the cytotoxic agent for a while.  Treatment with cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil usually lasts for 8 to 12 weeks, while treatment with cyclosporine frequently takes longer.  The good news is that most children "outgrow" this disease by their late teens with no permanent damage to their kidneys.

[Top]

Other Conditions That Involve the Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

In about 20 percent of children with the nephrotic syndrome, the kidney biopsy reveals scarring or deposits in the glomeruli.  The two most common diseases that damage these tiny filtering units are focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN).

Since prednisone is less effective in treating these diseases than it is in treating minimal change disease, the doctor may use additional therapies, including cytotoxic agents.  Recent experience with a class of drugs called ACE inhibitors (a type of blood pressure drug) indicates that these drugs can help to prevent protein from leaking into the urine and keep the kidneys from being damaged in children with the nephrotic syndrome.

Very rarely, a child may be born with a condition that causes the nephrotic syndrome (congenital nephropathy).  The most common form of this condition is congenital nephropathy of the Finnish type (CNF), inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.  Another condition that causes nephrotic syndrome in the first months of life is diffuse mesangial sclerosis (DMS).  The pattern of inheritance for DMS is not as clearly understood as the pattern for CNF, although the condition does appear to be genetic.

Since medicines have little effect on congenital nephropathy, transplantation is usually required by the second or third year of life, when the child has grown sufficiently to receive a kidney.  To keep the child healthy, the doctor may recommend infusions of the protein albumin to make up for the protein lost in urine and prescribe a diuretic to help the child eliminate the extra fluid that causes swelling.  The child's immune system may be weakened, so antibiotics should be given at the first sign of infection.

Congenital nephropathy can disturb thyroid activity, so the child may need a substitute hormone, thyroxine, to promote growth and help bones mature.  A blood thinner like warfarin may be necessary to keep the child's blood from clotting.

A child with congenital nephropathy may need tube feedings to ensure proper nutrition.  In some cases, the diseased kidney may need to be removed to eliminate proteinuria.  Dialysis will then be required to replace kidney function until the child's body is big enough to receive a transplanted kidney.  Peritoneal dialysis is preferable to hemodialysis for young children.

In peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is surgically placed in the child's abdomen and then used to introduce a solution into the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum).  The solution draws wastes and extra fluid from the child's blood stream.  After a few hours, the solution is drained and replaced with a fresh supply.  The drained solution carries the waste and extra fluid out of the child's body.

[Top]

Hope Through Research

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts and supports research to help many kinds of people with kidney disease, including children.  NIDDK's Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (DKUHD) maintains the **Pediatric Nephrology Program**, which supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of kidney diseases in children.  In 2003, DKUHD initiated the Prospective Study of Chronic Kidney Disease in Children to learn more about the negative effects of pediatric kidney disease, including cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive impairment.

[Top]

For More Information

**American Kidney Fund**
6110 Executive Boulevard
Suite 1010
Rockville, MD  20852
Phone:  1-800-638-8299 or (301) 881-3052
Email:  [email protected]
Internet:  www.akfinc.org

**National Kidney Foundation**
30 East 33rd Street
New York, NY  10016
Phone:  1-800-622-9010 or (212) 889-2210
Email:  [email protected]
Internet:  www.kidney.org

[Top]

Additional Information on Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

            The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse collects 
              resource information on kidney and urologic diseases for the Combined 
              Health Information Database (CHID). CHID is a database produced 
              by health-related agencies of the Federal Government. This database 
              provides titles, abstracts, and availability information for health 
              information and health education resources.
            To provide you with the most up-to-date resources, information 
              specialists at the clearinghouse created an automatic search of 
              CHID. To obtain this information, you may view the results of the automatic search on Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome.If you wish to perform your own search of the database, you may 
              access the CHID Online website and search 
              CHID yourself.
		
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse

3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD  20892-3580
Email: [email protected]

The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).  The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Established in 1987, the clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public.  NKUDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases.

Publications produced by the clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.  NKUDIC would like to thank Barbara Fivush, M.D., and Kathy Jabs, M.D., of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN), for coordinating the review of this fact sheet by the ASPN's Clinical Affairs Committee:  Tej Mattoo, M.D., William Primack, M.D., Joseph Flynn, M.D., Ira Davis, M.D., Ann Guillott, M.D., Steve Alexander, M.D., Deborah Kees-Folts, M.D., Alicia Neu, M.D., Steve Wassner, M.D., John Brandt, M.D., and Manju Chandra, M.D.  Frederick Kaskel, M.D., Ph.D., President, ASPN, and Sharon Andreoli, M.D., Secretary-Treasurer, ASPN, also provided comments and coordination.

This e-text is not copyrighted. The clearinghouse encourages users of this e-pub to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.

NIH Publication No. 04-4695
December 2003

[Top] |  | Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

On this page:

Minimal Change Disease
Other Conditions That Involve the Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome
Hope Through Research
For More InformationChildhood nephrotic syndrome can occur at any age but is most common between the ages of 11⁄2 and 5 years.  It seems to affect boys more often than girls.

A child with the nephrotic syndrome has these signs:

high levels of protein in the urine
low levels of protein in the blood
swelling resulting from buildup of salt and waterThe nephrotic syndrome is not itself a disease.  But it can be the first sign of a disease that damages the tiny blood-filtering units (glomeruli) in the kidneys, where urine is made.

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs found in the lower back.  They are about the size of a fist.  They clean the blood by filtering out excess water and salt and waste products from food.  Healthy kidneys keep protein in the blood, which helps the blood soak up water from tissues.  But kidneys with damaged filters may let protein leak into the urine.  As a result, not enough protein is left in the blood to soak up the water.  The water then moves from the blood into body tissues and causes swelling.  You may see swelling around your child's eyes, belly, and legs.  Your child may urinate less often than usual and may gain weight from the excess water.

To diagnose childhood nephrotic syndrome, the doctor may ask for a urine sample to check for protein.  The doctor will dip a strip of chemically treated paper into the urine sample.  Too much protein in the urine will make the paper change color.  Or the doctor may ask for a 24-hour collection of urine for a more precise measurement of the protein and other substances in the urine.

The doctor may take a blood sample to see how well the kidneys are removing wastes.  Healthy kidneys remove creatinine and urea nitrogen from the blood.  If the blood contains high levels of these waste products, some kidney damage may have already occurred.  But most children with the nephrotic syndrome do not have permanent kidney damage.

In some cases, the doctor may want to examine a small piece of the child's kidney under a microscope to see if something specific is causing the syndrome.  The procedure of collecting a small tissue sample from the kidney is called a **biopsy**, and it is usually performed with a long needle passed through the skin.  The child will be awake during the procedure and receive calming drugs and a local painkiller at the site of the needle entry.  General anesthesia may be used in some cases.  The child will stay overnight in the hospital to rest and allow the health care team to ensure that no problems occur.

A strip of chemically treated paper will change color when dipped in urine with too much protein.

[Top]

Minimal Change Disease

The most common form of the nephrotic syndrome in children is called **minimal change disease**.  Doctors do not know what causes it.  The condition is called minimal change disease because children with this form of the nephrotic syndrome have normal or nearly normal biopsies.  If your child is diagnosed with minimal change disease, the doctor will probably prescribe prednisone, which belongs to a class of drugs called corticosteroids.  Prednisone stops the movement of protein from the blood into the urine, but it does have side effects that the doctor will explain. Following the doctor's directions exactly is essential to protect your child's health.  The doctor may also prescribe another type of drug called a diuretic, which reduces the swelling by helping the child urinate.

When protein is no longer present in the urine, the doctor will begin to reduce the dosage of prednisone.  This process takes several weeks.  Some children never get sick again, but most do develop swelling and protein in the urine again, usually following a viral illness.  However, as long as the child continues to respond to prednisone and the urine becomes protein free, he or she has an excellent long-term outlook without kidney damage.

Children who relapse frequently, or who seem to be dependent on prednisone or have side effects from it, may be given a second type of drug called a cytotoxic agent.  The agents most frequently used are cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, and cyclosporine.  After reducing protein in the urine with prednisone, the doctor may prescribe the cytotoxic agent for a while.  Treatment with cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil usually lasts for 8 to 12 weeks, while treatment with cyclosporine frequently takes longer.  The good news is that most children "outgrow" this disease by their late teens with no permanent damage to their kidneys.

[Top]

Other Conditions That Involve the Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

In about 20 percent of children with the nephrotic syndrome, the kidney biopsy reveals scarring or deposits in the glomeruli.  The two most common diseases that damage these tiny filtering units are focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN).

Since prednisone is less effective in treating these diseases than it is in treating minimal change disease, the doctor may use additional therapies, including cytotoxic agents.  Recent experience with a class of drugs called ACE inhibitors (a type of blood pressure drug) indicates that these drugs can help to prevent protein from leaking into the urine and keep the kidneys from being damaged in children with the nephrotic syndrome.

Very rarely, a child may be born with a condition that causes the nephrotic syndrome (congenital nephropathy).  The most common form of this condition is congenital nephropathy of the Finnish type (CNF), inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.  Another condition that causes nephrotic syndrome in the first months of life is diffuse mesangial sclerosis (DMS).  The pattern of inheritance for DMS is not as clearly understood as the pattern for CNF, although the condition does appear to be genetic.

Since medicines have little effect on congenital nephropathy, transplantation is usually required by the second or third year of life, when the child has grown sufficiently to receive a kidney.  To keep the child healthy, the doctor may recommend infusions of the protein albumin to make up for the protein lost in urine and prescribe a diuretic to help the child eliminate the extra fluid that causes swelling.  The child's immune system may be weakened, so antibiotics should be given at the first sign of infection.

Congenital nephropathy can disturb thyroid activity, so the child may need a substitute hormone, thyroxine, to promote growth and help bones mature.  A blood thinner like warfarin may be necessary to keep the child's blood from clotting.

A child with congenital nephropathy may need tube feedings to ensure proper nutrition.  In some cases, the diseased kidney may need to be removed to eliminate proteinuria.  Dialysis will then be required to replace kidney function until the child's body is big enough to receive a transplanted kidney.  Peritoneal dialysis is preferable to hemodialysis for young children.

In peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is surgically placed in the child's abdomen and then used to introduce a solution into the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum).  The solution draws wastes and extra fluid from the child's blood stream.  After a few hours, the solution is drained and replaced with a fresh supply.  The drained solution carries the waste and extra fluid out of the child's body.

[Top]

Hope Through Research

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts and supports research to help many kinds of people with kidney disease, including children.  NIDDK's Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (DKUHD) maintains the **Pediatric Nephrology Program**, which supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of kidney diseases in children.  In 2003, DKUHD initiated the Prospective Study of Chronic Kidney Disease in Children to learn more about the negative effects of pediatric kidney disease, including cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive impairment.

[Top]

For More Information

**American Kidney Fund**
6110 Executive Boulevard
Suite 1010
Rockville, MD  20852
Phone:  1-800-638-8299 or (301) 881-3052
Email:  [email protected]
Internet:  www.akfinc.org

**National Kidney Foundation**
30 East 33rd Street
New York, NY  10016
Phone:  1-800-622-9010 or (212) 889-2210
Email:  [email protected]
Internet:  www.kidney.org

[Top]

Additional Information on Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

            The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse collects 
              resource information on kidney and urologic diseases for the Combined 
              Health Information Database (CHID). CHID is a database produced 
              by health-related agencies of the Federal Government. This database 
              provides titles, abstracts, and availability information for health 
              information and health education resources.
            To provide you with the most up-to-date resources, information 
              specialists at the clearinghouse created an automatic search of 
              CHID. To obtain this information, you may view the results of the automatic search on Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome.If you wish to perform your own search of the database, you may 
              access the CHID Online website and search 
              CHID yourself.
		
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse

3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD  20892-3580
Email: [email protected]

The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).  The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Established in 1987, the clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public.  NKUDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases.

Publications produced by the clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.  NKUDIC would like to thank Barbara Fivush, M.D., and Kathy Jabs, M.D., of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN), for coordinating the review of this fact sheet by the ASPN's Clinical Affairs Committee:  Tej Mattoo, M.D., William Primack, M.D., Joseph Flynn, M.D., Ira Davis, M.D., Ann Guillott, M.D., Steve Alexander, M.D., Deborah Kees-Folts, M.D., Alicia Neu, M.D., Steve Wassner, M.D., John Brandt, M.D., and Manju Chandra, M.D.  Frederick Kaskel, M.D., Ph.D., President, ASPN, and Sharon Andreoli, M.D., Secretary-Treasurer, ASPN, also provided comments and coordination.

This e-text is not copyrighted. The clearinghouse encourages users of this e-pub to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.

NIH Publication No. 04-4695
December 2003

[Top] |  | A strip of chemically treated paper will change color when dipped in urine with too much protein.
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |                  
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

On this page:

Minimal Change Disease
Other Conditions That Involve the Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome
Hope Through Research
For More InformationChildhood nephrotic syndrome can occur at any age but is most common between the ages of 11⁄2 and 5 years.  It seems to affect boys more often than girls.

A child with the nephrotic syndrome has these signs:

high levels of protein in the urine
low levels of protein in the blood
swelling resulting from buildup of salt and waterThe nephrotic syndrome is not itself a disease.  But it can be the first sign of a disease that damages the tiny blood-filtering units (glomeruli) in the kidneys, where urine is made.

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs found in the lower back.  They are about the size of a fist.  They clean the blood by filtering out excess water and salt and waste products from food.  Healthy kidneys keep protein in the blood, which helps the blood soak up water from tissues.  But kidneys with damaged filters may let protein leak into the urine.  As a result, not enough protein is left in the blood to soak up the water.  The water then moves from the blood into body tissues and causes swelling.  You may see swelling around your child's eyes, belly, and legs.  Your child may urinate less often than usual and may gain weight from the excess water.

To diagnose childhood nephrotic syndrome, the doctor may ask for a urine sample to check for protein.  The doctor will dip a strip of chemically treated paper into the urine sample.  Too much protein in the urine will make the paper change color.  Or the doctor may ask for a 24-hour collection of urine for a more precise measurement of the protein and other substances in the urine.

The doctor may take a blood sample to see how well the kidneys are removing wastes.  Healthy kidneys remove creatinine and urea nitrogen from the blood.  If the blood contains high levels of these waste products, some kidney damage may have already occurred.  But most children with the nephrotic syndrome do not have permanent kidney damage.

In some cases, the doctor may want to examine a small piece of the child's kidney under a microscope to see if something specific is causing the syndrome.  The procedure of collecting a small tissue sample from the kidney is called a **biopsy**, and it is usually performed with a long needle passed through the skin.  The child will be awake during the procedure and receive calming drugs and a local painkiller at the site of the needle entry.  General anesthesia may be used in some cases.  The child will stay overnight in the hospital to rest and allow the health care team to ensure that no problems occur.

A strip of chemically treated paper will change color when dipped in urine with too much protein.

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Minimal Change Disease

The most common form of the nephrotic syndrome in children is called **minimal change disease**.  Doctors do not know what causes it.  The condition is called minimal change disease because children with this form of the nephrotic syndrome have normal or nearly normal biopsies.  If your child is diagnosed with minimal change disease, the doctor will probably prescribe prednisone, which belongs to a class of drugs called corticosteroids.  Prednisone stops the movement of protein from the blood into the urine, but it does have side effects that the doctor will explain. Following the doctor's directions exactly is essential to protect your child's health.  The doctor may also prescribe another type of drug called a diuretic, which reduces the swelling by helping the child urinate.

When protein is no longer present in the urine, the doctor will begin to reduce the dosage of prednisone.  This process takes several weeks.  Some children never get sick again, but most do develop swelling and protein in the urine again, usually following a viral illness.  However, as long as the child continues to respond to prednisone and the urine becomes protein free, he or she has an excellent long-term outlook without kidney damage.

Children who relapse frequently, or who seem to be dependent on prednisone or have side effects from it, may be given a second type of drug called a cytotoxic agent.  The agents most frequently used are cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, and cyclosporine.  After reducing protein in the urine with prednisone, the doctor may prescribe the cytotoxic agent for a while.  Treatment with cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil usually lasts for 8 to 12 weeks, while treatment with cyclosporine frequently takes longer.  The good news is that most children "outgrow" this disease by their late teens with no permanent damage to their kidneys.

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Other Conditions That Involve the Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

In about 20 percent of children with the nephrotic syndrome, the kidney biopsy reveals scarring or deposits in the glomeruli.  The two most common diseases that damage these tiny filtering units are focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN).

Since prednisone is less effective in treating these diseases than it is in treating minimal change disease, the doctor may use additional therapies, including cytotoxic agents.  Recent experience with a class of drugs called ACE inhibitors (a type of blood pressure drug) indicates that these drugs can help to prevent protein from leaking into the urine and keep the kidneys from being damaged in children with the nephrotic syndrome.

Very rarely, a child may be born with a condition that causes the nephrotic syndrome (congenital nephropathy).  The most common form of this condition is congenital nephropathy of the Finnish type (CNF), inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.  Another condition that causes nephrotic syndrome in the first months of life is diffuse mesangial sclerosis (DMS).  The pattern of inheritance for DMS is not as clearly understood as the pattern for CNF, although the condition does appear to be genetic.

Since medicines have little effect on congenital nephropathy, transplantation is usually required by the second or third year of life, when the child has grown sufficiently to receive a kidney.  To keep the child healthy, the doctor may recommend infusions of the protein albumin to make up for the protein lost in urine and prescribe a diuretic to help the child eliminate the extra fluid that causes swelling.  The child's immune system may be weakened, so antibiotics should be given at the first sign of infection.

Congenital nephropathy can disturb thyroid activity, so the child may need a substitute hormone, thyroxine, to promote growth and help bones mature.  A blood thinner like warfarin may be necessary to keep the child's blood from clotting.

A child with congenital nephropathy may need tube feedings to ensure proper nutrition.  In some cases, the diseased kidney may need to be removed to eliminate proteinuria.  Dialysis will then be required to replace kidney function until the child's body is big enough to receive a transplanted kidney.  Peritoneal dialysis is preferable to hemodialysis for young children.

In peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is surgically placed in the child's abdomen and then used to introduce a solution into the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum).  The solution draws wastes and extra fluid from the child's blood stream.  After a few hours, the solution is drained and replaced with a fresh supply.  The drained solution carries the waste and extra fluid out of the child's body.

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Hope Through Research

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) conducts and supports research to help many kinds of people with kidney disease, including children.  NIDDK's Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (DKUHD) maintains the **Pediatric Nephrology Program**, which supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of kidney diseases in children.  In 2003, DKUHD initiated the Prospective Study of Chronic Kidney Disease in Children to learn more about the negative effects of pediatric kidney disease, including cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive impairment.

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For More Information

**American Kidney Fund**
6110 Executive Boulevard
Suite 1010
Rockville, MD  20852
Phone:  1-800-638-8299 or (301) 881-3052
Email:  [email protected]
Internet:  www.akfinc.org

**National Kidney Foundation**
30 East 33rd Street
New York, NY  10016
Phone:  1-800-622-9010 or (212) 889-2210
Email:  [email protected]
Internet:  www.kidney.org

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Additional Information on Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

            The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse collects 
              resource information on kidney and urologic diseases for the Combined 
              Health Information Database (CHID). CHID is a database produced 
              by health-related agencies of the Federal Government. This database 
              provides titles, abstracts, and availability information for health 
              information and health education resources.
            To provide you with the most up-to-date resources, information 
              specialists at the clearinghouse created an automatic search of 
              CHID. To obtain this information, you may view the results of the automatic search on Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome.If you wish to perform your own search of the database, you may 
              access the CHID Online website and search 
              CHID yourself.
		
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse

3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD  20892-3580
Email: [email protected]

The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).  The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Established in 1987, the clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public.  NKUDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases.

Publications produced by the clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.  NKUDIC would like to thank Barbara Fivush, M.D., and Kathy Jabs, M.D., of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN), for coordinating the review of this fact sheet by the ASPN's Clinical Affairs Committee:  Tej Mattoo, M.D., William Primack, M.D., Joseph Flynn, M.D., Ira Davis, M.D., Ann Guillott, M.D., Steve Alexander, M.D., Deborah Kees-Folts, M.D., Alicia Neu, M.D., Steve Wassner, M.D., John Brandt, M.D., and Manju Chandra, M.D.  Frederick Kaskel, M.D., Ph.D., President, ASPN, and Sharon Andreoli, M.D., Secretary-Treasurer, ASPN, also provided comments and coordination.

This e-text is not copyrighted. The clearinghouse encourages users of this e-pub to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.

NIH Publication No. 04-4695
December 2003

[Top] |                   | A strip of chemically treated paper will change color when dipped in urine with too much protein.
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|A strip of chemically treated paper will change color when dipped in urine with too much protein.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 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National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information 
            Clearinghouse
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            Phone: 1-800-891-5390
            Fax: 703-738-4929
            Email: [email protected]
			Privacy | Disclaimer | Accessibility | National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information 
            Clearinghouse
            3 Information Way
            Bethesda, MD 20892-3580
            Phone: 1-800-891-5390
            Fax: 703-738-4929
            Email: [email protected]
			Privacy | Disclaimer | Accessibility |  |  | 
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |  |  | 
|National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information 
            Clearinghouse
            3 Information Way
            Bethesda, MD 20892-3580
            Phone: 1-800-891-5390
            Fax: 703-738-4929
            Email: [email protected]
			Privacy | Disclaimer | Accessibility                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |  |