Nephrotic syndrome in African children: lack of evidence for tropical nephrotic syndrome?

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to analyze the diagnostic, therapeutic, and evolutionary features of nephrosis in children in a pediatric department in Dakar. METHODS: The study was carried out in the Department of Pediatrics at the Aristide Le Dantec Hospital. We conducted a retrospective study over a period of 3 years from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2014. All patients aged 2-12 years with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome were included in the study. RESULTS: Forty cases of nephrosis were collected, that is to say a prevalence of 23% among patients with kidney disease treated in the Department of Pediatrics. The average age was 7.11 ± 3.14 years. 72.5% (n=29) of patients suffered from pure nephrotic syndrome. Lower limb edema was present in 100% of patients, oliguria in 55% (n=22) and high blood pressure (HBP) in 5% (n=2) of cases. Median proteinuria was 145,05 ± 85,54 mg/kg/24 hours. Median protidemia was 46,42 ±7.88 g/L and median albumin was 17.90 ± 7.15 g/L. Thirty nine patients were treated with prednisone-based corticosteroid therapy. Corticosensitivity was retained in 77% (n=30) patients and corticoresistance in 13% (n=5) of cases. The factor of poor response after corticosteroid therapy was initial proteinuria greater than 150 mg/kg/day (p = 0.024). Renal biopsy was performed in 18% (n=7) of patients which showed focal and segmental hyalinosis in 57.2% (n=4). Cyclophosphamide and azathioprine were associated with corticosteroids in 10% (n=4) of cases respectively. The overall remission rate was 89.8%. The evolution toward chronic renal failure was observed in three patients. CONCLUSION: Nephrosis accounted for almost one quarter of all cases of kidney disease treated in our Department. It has high overall remission rate. The only factor contributing to poor response after corticosteroid therapy was high levels of initial proteinuria. Focal and segmental hyalinosis was the most frequently found lesion diagnosed by renal biopsy.