Efficacy of albumin and diuretic therapy in children with nephrotic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the efficacy and complications of albumin and diuretic therapy in the treatment of edema due to the nephrotic syndrome.

METHODS

The clinical and biochemical effects of 35 treatment courses of albumin and diuretics administered to 21 children with nephrotic syndrome were retrospectively examined. Treatment consisted of intravenous infusion of 25% albumin and furosemide. A second diuretic was administered in addition to furosemide during 10 treatment courses. There was an average of 5 infusions per hospitalization.

RESULTS

Albumin and furosemide therapy resulted in a 1.2 +/- 0.2% (SEM) body weight loss per infusion. The administration of albumin with two diuretics did not result in improved weight loss compared to albumin and furosemide alone. Patients whose nephrotic syndrome was in remission at the time of posthospitalization follow-up (n = 8) had a sustained weight loss both during and after albumin and diuretic treatment. Patients with persistent proteinuria (n = 27) transiently lost weight during therapy, but returned to a weight similar to their pretreatment weight at 2-week follow-up. Albumin infusion resulted in hypertension, requiring acute antihypertensive therapy in 16 treatment courses (46%) and increased maintenance antihypertensive therapy in 12 treatment courses (34%). In addition, hypokalemia, hypernatremia, and hyperbicarbonatemia developed in 40%, 17%, and 11% of treatment courses, respectively. Albumin and diuretic therapy resulted in the development of respiratory distress during four treatment courses, including one patient who developed respiratory failure and one patient who developed congestive heart failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Albumin and diuretic therapy results in fluid removal and weight loss in children with the nephrotic syndrome; however, this effect is transient unless remission of proteinuria occurs. While this is a retrospective study, the findings suggest that albumin and diuretic therapy can be associated with frequent and potentially serious complications.