[Tubular involvement in glomerular diseases of the kidney (author's transl)]

An attempt is made in this study to provide an answer to the question whether glomerular diseases are accompanied by tubular disorders. The urinary lysozyme activity was determined by means of a turbidimetric assay method in 10 healthy children as controls, 10 patients with glomerulonephritis, 8 patients with Alport's syndrome (hereditary glomerulonephritis with deafness) and 12 children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. In most of the cases a significant increase in urinary lysozyme excretion, indicative of tubular damage, was found and this finding correlates well with the tubular morphology of the patients.