title: Childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been reported that there are racial and regional differences in peak incidence age, histopathological features and response to steroid therapy in childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-eight patients with a diagnosis of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, followed up in 1994-2000, were assessed retrospectively. The aim of this study was to assess the patients' response pattern to steroid therapy, to determine whether the duration of the initial steroid therapy alters the steroid response pattern of the disease and to assess renal biopsy results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and fourteen patients who initially received only steroid therapy and were followed up regularly were classified according to response pattern. Of the 114 patients, 30 children had an initial response, 25 children had infrequent relapse, 19 had frequent relapse, 25 had steroid dependence and 15 children had steroid resistance. The 99 patients with steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome were divided into two groups with respect to duration of the initial steroid therapy. There was no statistically significant difference between standard and short therapy groups with respect to the steroid response patterns. Percutaneous renal biopsy was performed in 43 of the 138 patients. Mesengioproliferative glomerulonephritis was the most common histopathological lesion, followed by membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. The proportions of membranous glomerulonephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and minimal change nephrotic syndrome were low in our group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study group is similar to one reported from Saudi Arabia with respect to the steroid response pattern and to Saudi Arabian and Nigerian reports with respect to the histopathology. Although it has been reported that short initial steroid therapy was followed by a higher rate of relapses, there was no statistically significant difference between standard and short therapy groups with respect to the relapse rate in our study group.
authors.affiliation: Hemodialysis and Transplantation Center and Pediatrics, Dr Lütfü Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. zbircan@superonline.com
authors.forename: Zelal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bircan
authors.forename: Alev
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yavuz Yilmaz
authors.forename: Selahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katar
authors.forename: Ayça
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitrinel
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildirim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011239:Prednisolone