Childhood nephrotic syndrome at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria: a preliminary report supports high steroid responsiveness.

The response to steroid in childhood nephrotic syndrome (CNS) varies across geographical regions, depending on aetiology, genetics, and the underlying pathology. Recently, there is an increasing steroid responsiveness among Nigerian children with nephrotic syndrome (NS). This is the first report of CNS at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria, between 15th January 2016 and 30th June 2018. Prednisolone was administered to all the children with NS according to the regimen of the International Study of Kidney Disease in Children. There were 46 children aged 17 months to 18 years, including 37 males and 9 females. The peak age was 6-10 years with a mean age of 8.2 ± 4.4 years. Forty-one (89.1%) had idiopathic NS (INS). Secondary NS occurred in five (10.9%) children with hepatitis B infection, sickle cell anaemia, haemolytic-uraemic syndrome, and post-infectious glomerulonephritis (two cases). Plasmodium malariae was not seen. Overall, steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS) was seen in 34 (73.9%) and in 32 (78%) with INS. Five (16.7%) of the 30 with SSNS relapsed on follow-up. Twelve (26.1%) were resistant to steroid (steroid-resistant NS, SRNS). Renal biopsies in five SRNS revealed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in three, minimal change lesion in one, and severe interstitial fibrosis/glomerulosclerosis in another one. Four (8.7%) children who had SRNS died. A child with SRNS is surviving on renal transplant from a living-unrelated donor. The study supports the notion that steroid responsiveness is increasing among ethnic black Nigerian children. Pre-treatment renal biopsy may be unwarranted.