[Growth in steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome in Cote d'Ivoire]

We realized one of the first observational studies in sub-Saharan Africa whose aim was to analyze the growth in steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome. This was a retrospective study, involving 30 children followed for nephrotic syndrome in pediatric nephrology unit of the University Hospital of Yopougon (Abidjan) from 28.02.2005 to 19.12.2010. Each child was followed for two years and we are interested in demographic characteristics and the evolution of size. At the end of our study, it appears that: the mean age was 89.33 ± 43.41 months (7.44 years) with a sex ratio of 3,28. At the end of the two years of follow-up, patients had received a median dose of steroids 6151 ± 3832 mg/m(2), 9111 ± 1376 mg/m(2) and 8664 ± 5379 mg/m(2), respectively, for a relapse or no, two and at least three relapses. Fourteen patients had received vitamin D therapy and calcium. At the end of follow-up, four children had growth retardation. An average gain in Z-score was noted at the end of follow-up in girls and boys respectively +0.06 and +0.36. The growth retardation observed in our study was not associated with different growth periods (P=0.116), gender (P=0.548) and the mean Z-scores observed at the end of follow-up was not significantly different between the sexes (P=0.26). Growth retardation observed was not related to the cumulative dose administered (P=0.15), number of relapse (P=1.000).