Urinary tract infection in nephrotic syndrome.
BACKGROUND
The aim was to study the frequency, etiology and predisposing factors of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children with nephrotic syndrome.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of all children with nephrotic syndrome was made to determine the occurrence of infectious complications.


RESULTS
UTI was found to be the most common infection (40.26%); 49 episodes of culture-positive UTI were observed in 37 children. All 49 episodes occurred in patients who were initially considered to be steroid nonresponders or in relapse. Fourteen of the 49 episodes (28.6%) were asymptomatic. One child had Grade IV reflux and another had a ureteric calculus. The majority of the children had no underlying urinary tract malformations. The children with UTI had significantly lower serum albumin (P < 0.05) and higher serum cholesterol (P < 0.001) concentrations than the group of 206 children without infections. Non-Escherichia coli organisms accounted for 39% of the culture isolates.


CONCLUSIONS
We believe that UTI is an important but often underdiagnosed infection in children with nephrotic syndrome.
Gulati
S
S
Department of Nephrology, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
Kher
V
V
Arora
P
P
Gupta
S
S
Kale
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*
D012709:Serum Albumin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002784:Cholesterol