[The nephrotic syndrome in elderly patients]

The most frequent cause of development of the nephrotic syndrome in the elderly is secondary amyloidosis of the kidneys (71%). Most patients showed an association of the nephrotic syndrome with arterial hypertension (74%) and renal failure (59%). As compared with a control group of patients under 40, the elderly revealed concomitant diseases, greater severity and frequency of vascular and interstitial changes during morphological examination.