[Proteinuria selectivity and prednisone response in children with nephrotic syndrome].

BACKGROUND

The proteinuria selectivity index (PSI) can predict the response to prednisone in the primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS).

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association of prednisone response with the PSI in patients with PNS.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

With analytical cross-sectional design, pediatric patients with PNS were studied with at least six months of prior follow-up, at the Nuevo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara from 2014 to 2015. They were divided into poor response to prednisone (frequent relapses or resistance) and good response (habitual relapses). PSI was calculated with serum and urinary measurement of IgG and transferrin. Chi square and OR were used, with 95% CI.

RESULTS

67 patients with relapsing PNS were studied. The response to prednisone had been good in 33 (49.3%) and poor in 34 (50.7%). The PSI was ≤ 0.10 mg/mg in 23/67 (34.3%); 0.11-0.19 mg/mg in 15/67 (22.4%); and ≥ 0.20 mg/mg 29/67 (43.3%). 3/34 patients (8.8%) presented ≤ 0.1 mg/mg with poor response to prednisone and 20/33 presented good response (60.6%) (p < 0.001; OR: 0.6; 95% CI, 0.010-20). PSI between 0.11-0-19 mg/mg occurred in 8/34 patients (23%) with poor response to prednisone and in 7/33 with good response (21%). PSI ≥ 0.20 mg/mg resulted in 23/34 patients (67.6%) with poor response to the steroid and in 6/33 with good response (18.2%) (p < 0.001; OR: 9.4; 95% CI, 3.01-29.42).

CONCLUSIONS

In children with PNS, a PSI ≥ 0.20 mg/mg was associated with a poor response to prednisone treatment and a PSI ≤ 0.10 mg/mg with a satisfactory response.