Serious infections and mortality in nephrotic syndrome
Srivastava, R.N.; Moudgil, A.; Khurana, O.
Indian Pediatrics 24(12): 1077-1080
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 3450657 Document Number: 303893
Over a 7-year-period, 291 patients with nephrotic syndrome were admitted to hospital. Serious infections were the cause of admission in 94 (32%). Peritonitis was the commonest infection with 71 episodes in 62 cases. Others included pneumonia in 17, multiple abscesses with sepsis in 8, pyogenic meningitis in 2 and empyema thoracis and osteomyelitis in 1 each. All patients were having relapse of nephrotic syndrome. Fifty-two were receiving prednisolone and 2 cyclophosphamide. The patients with peritonitis invariably had ascites. Twelve patients (12.8%) died; 8 had peritonitis, 2 pyogenic meningitis and one sepsis. Eleven of these 12 patients had symptoms for less than 3 days at admission and 8 died within 24 hours, indicating the fulminant nature of infections. It is crucial to keep the patients with nephrotic syndrome in remission and free of ascites. Infections must be detected early and treated vigorously.