Analysis on long-term prognosis of idiopathic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in Japanese children

Abstract

 We investigated a long-term prognosis of 60 children with idiopathic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) from 1973 to 2006; 50 patients had type I MPGN, 7 dense deposit disease and 3 type III MPGN. Forty-eight children had asymptomatic onset; 46 were identified by school urinary screening program; 40 (83%) had normal urinalysis, normal renal function and histopathological improvement at the last observation. Early detection and treatment was effective for a long-term prognosis. Twelve patients had symptomatic onset; at the last observation, 5 had urinary abnormalities, among which, 4 had nephrotic syndrome (NS) at the onset, and progressed to the end-stage renal failure. NS and frequent crescents formation at the onset associated with a poor prognosis in patients with symptomatic onset.