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). Very rarely, a child may be born with a condition that causes the nephrotic syndrome (congenital nephropathy).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 help prevent protein from leaking into the urine and keep the kidneys from being damaged in children with the nephrotic syndrome.
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 maintains the Pediatric Nephrology Program, which supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of kidney diseases in children, including minimal change disease, congenital nephrotic syndrome, primary glomerular disease, and postinfection glomerulonephritis.
NIH Publication No. 00-4695
