Proteinuria and albuminuria prevalence in allergic children

Numerous studies have reported an atopic background in patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Proteinuria has also been reported in allergic patients, but in a limited number of studies, and most of them with a low level of evidence. If confirmed, the presence of proteinuria in allergic children could be a clue to approach the pathophysiology of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

We therefore performed a prospective study to compare the urine protein levels in allergic and non-allergic children.

Urine samples were collected from 190 children suspected of having allergies. Total urinary protein, albumin, and creatinine levels were measured. After completing the allergological analysis, patients were divided into allergic and non-allergic groups.

In the allergic group (n = 97), four children (4.1 %) were proteinuric compared to five (5.4 %) in the non-allergic patients (n = 93). Eleven children (11.3 %) were albuminuric versus eight (8.6 %), in the allergic and non-allergic groups respectively. Therefore, no significant differences were observed in proteinuria or albuminuria between allergic and non-allergic children.

The lack of increased prevalence of proteinuria in allergic patients does not support a strong pathophysiological hypothesis linking allergy to idiopathic nephrotic syndrome through the presence of asymptomatic pathological proteinuria in allergic patients. Other hypotheses still need to be explored to analyze the possible association between idiopathic nephrotic syndrome and allergy.