Clinical manifestations of MPGN in children comparing their responsiveness to drug treatment

Abstract Background: Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) is the most common type of chronic glomerulonephritis in children. Objective: To determine clinical manifestations of MPGN in Iranian children and to compare their responsiveness to drug regimens (steroids & immunosurppressives). Methods: The medical records of the patients from June 1972 to January 1996 were reviewed. Age of onset of disease, sex, creatinine clearance, initial clinical presentation, presence or absence of pathologic proteinuria, hematuria, hypertension and low serurm C3 level in each patient & also the responsiveness of those who had follow- up drug treatment were examined . Using T test & x 2 test the means were compared (P À0.05). Findings: 66 cases were reported: type I 55 patients, type II 7 patients and type III 4 patients. 31 patients were male. There was no significant correlation between sex, pathologic proteinuria and hematuria and progression to CRF but more patients who had hypertension progressed to CRF (P<0.05). Patients with initial clinical presentations of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and chronic glomerulonephritis had worse prognosis and more progress to CRF (P<0.05). Patients who had received specific treatment had better prognosis (P<0.05). Conclusion: MPGN has the potential for progressing to CRF. Long-term treatment with steroids and immunosurppressive drugs may prohibit this progression.