[Study of various factors of the pathogenesis of nephrotic edema in children with glomerulonephritis].

As many as 26 children (20 boys and 6 girls) aged 2.5 to 15.5 years suffering from active nephrotic glomerulonephritis were examined for the intravascular liquid volume and antidiuretic hormone in blood plasma. In accordance with the magnitude of the circulating blood volume, 3 groups of patients were distinguished: group I included patients with hypervolemia, group II with hypovolemia, and group III with normovolemia. In the hypovolemic children, the nephrotic syndrome occurred at an earlier age as compared to the normovolemic children who developed it much later. The patients differed in the content of antidiuretic hormone and total blood protein. In the second group children, secretion of antidiuretic hormone was the highest one, whereas the level of total protein was the least one. A relationship was discovered between the pattern of the nephrotic syndrome and the efficacy of diuretic treatment.