The correlation between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome.

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is characterized by nephritic-range proteinuria and the triad of clinical findings associated with large urinary losses of protein, hypoalbuminemia, edema and hyperlipidemia. More than 80% of children below 13 years of age with primary NS have steroid-responsive forms. There is no identifiable cause of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is likely that the symptoms of ADHD represent a final common pathway of diverse causes, including genetic, organic and environmental etiologies. This case-control study was performed on 130 children aged between 5 and 13 years who were followed-up for two years. Sixty-five children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) as the case group and 65 healthy children as the control group were included in the study. Patients with minimal change NS were treated with prednisolone for at least six months. Conner's Parent Rating Scale - 48 (CPRS-48) was completed by the parents and the children were identified with any form of ADHD. Then, children were referred to an expert psychiatrist. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS software. The result showed that there was no significant relationship between different types of ADHD in both groups. Thus, based on current study, one may conclude that there are no significant differences between prevalence of ADHD in children with SDNS and the control group.