Impact of tuberculosis in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.
Forty black South African children (mean age 4.7 +/- 2.6 years) with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome due to focal glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) were evaluated. Tuberculosis (TB) was found in 37.5% of children with FSGS (FSGS-TB) compared with 6% of a comparable group with minimal lesion nephrotic syndrome. No significant differences were found in the initial mean serum albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride and creatinine levels in FSGS-TB compared with children with glomerulosclerosis but without TB (FSGS-nonTB). The mean serum levels of C4, IgA and IgM were increased by 30%, 25% and 23%, respectively in children with FSGS-TB compared with FSGS-nonTB. Initial estimated creatinine clearance was similar in the two groups, but after a mean follow-up of 2.4 years, the mean estimated creatinine clearance of children with FSGS-TB was significantly reduced by 46% from the initial value, but remained stable in the FSGS-nonTB group. FSGS-TB children also had significantly increased requirements for renal replacement therapy compared with children with FSGS-nonTB. We conclude that TB infection is commonly associated with FSGS in black South African children; this may have deleterious effects on renal function.
Kala
U
U
Department of Paediatrics, Baragwanath Hospital, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Milner
L S
LS
Jacobs
D
D
Thomson
P D
PD
D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D009402:Nephrosis, Lipoid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology