Pericardial effusion in childhood nephrotic syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is one of the most common renal diseases in children, which is defined as idiopathic NS and secondary NS. Current data on adult showed that pericardial effusion was related only to SLE, but not to non-SLE nephrotic patients. Until now there were no studies about children.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the frequency and clinical manifestations of pericardial effusion in childhood NS with SLE and non-SLE patients.


METHODS
Consecutive cases of NS at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (QSNICH) from June 2004 to May 2005 were prospectively studied. Information concerning the following: gender, age, clinical manifestations, laboratory investigation and echocardiogram in each patient were obtained.


RESULTS
A total of 37 cases were included, 13 with SLE and 24 with idiopathic cause. Pericardial effusion was found without any symptoms and signs of pericardial disease in both groups; 9 cases (69.2%) of SLE and 2 cases (8.3%) of non-SLE patients. Statistically significant differences were demonstrated between two groups (p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Pericardial effusion in childhood NS was more frequent in SLE than non-SLE nephrotic patients statistically significant. This result was different from previous study in adult which revealed no pericardial effusion in non-SLE group.
Kietkajornkul
Chookiet
C
Nephrology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok.
Klinklom
Arune
A
Kirawittaya
Tawatchai
T
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology