Proteinuria and statural growth.

In order to assess the possible effects of proteinuria on statural growth, we studied 14 children with various glomerulopathies and proteinuria persistently above 30 mg/kg/day which were followed-up for 1.5-4.3 years. They had received only short-term steroid therapy or no steroids at all. During the follow-up, 3 patients lost 1-2.1 height standard deviation scores. These patients had proteinuria above 100 mg/kg/day with associated glycosuria, and they went into chronic renal failure. The other patients had minor variations of the growth curve. In our experience heavy proteinuria represents a risk factor for growth delay when it is associated with glycosuria and chronic renal failure.