Foot process fusion and glomerular filtration rate in minimal change nephrotic syndrome

Reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR), not due to hypovolemia, has been reported in patients in the proteinuric phase of the minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS). A group of children with MCNS was studied to investigate the possible relationship between the fusion of glomerular epithelial foot processes and the reduction in GFR. The degree of foot process fusion was estimated as the harmonic true mean of foot process width and the length density of epithelial slit pores as determined by quantitative electron microscopic stereology. In the patients investigated GFR ranged between 40 and 127 ml/min/1.73 m2 body surface area, the filtration fraction between 6.9 and 22.5%, and the serum albumin concentration between 14 and 46 g/liter. The mean foot process width, which varied between 330 and 870 nm, showed a close correlation with GFR (r = -0.859) and the filtration fraction (r = -0.812), as well as with the serum albumin concentration (r = -0.756). As expected, a reduction of epithelial slit pore length occurred concomitant with the broadening of the foot processes. These results agree with the hypothesis that the reduction in the total length of glomerular epithelial slit pores, due to the fusion of foot processes, results in a reduced glomerular capillary permeability to water and small solutes.