Publication:

Clinical profile and infection burden among children with nephrotic syndrome

Background Nephrotic syndrome is a common chronic kidney disorder in children and is frequently complicated by infections, which contribute significantly to morbidity and hospitalization. Understanding the clinical profile and infection burden is essential for improving management and outcomes.

Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pediatric Nephrology at Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital from January 2010 to November 2010. This study included 115 children aged 1-13 years diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome. Detailed clinical evaluation and relevant laboratory investigations were performed. Sociodemographic characteristics, presenting features and infectious complications were recorded and analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.

Results The majority of children were between 2-6 years of age, with a mean age of 5.29±2.7 years. Male predominance was observed, with 70.43% (81) males and 29.57% (34) females (male-female ratio 2.3:1). Most patients were from rural areas (73.91%) and 52.17% belonged to poor socioeconomic backgrounds. Almost all patients presented with generalized edema, proteinuria and oliguria. Fever was present in 26.10% of cases and abdominal pain in 1.70%. Infection was a major complication. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was the most common infection, affecting 44.35% of patients, followed by pneumonia (6.09%), septicemia (4.35%), cellulitis (3.48%) and peritonitis (1.74%).

Conclusions Nephrotic syndrome predominantly affects young male children and is associated with a considerable infection burden, particularly UTI. Early recognition and prompt management of infections are crucial to reduce morbidity and improve clinical outcomes.