[Berger's disease in children: its form of presentation, pathological anatomy and evolution in 22 cases]

We have reviewed 22 cases of Berger's disease in children (glomerular nephritis with mesangial IgA deposits), all of which were diagnosed by renal biopsy between 1976 and the present time. We describe the clinical and pathological findings in these patients. In addition, we put special emphasis on the evolution of the disease in relationship to some of the parameters that have been reported in the literature as being related to a bad prognosis of glomerular function such as, massive proteinuria at the onset of the disease, histological classification, presence of deposits of IgM or fibrinogen derivatives and glomerular sclerosis. All of the patients started with hematuria, 21 of which had gross hematuria (95%). Fourteen patients (63%) showed proteinuria (2 of which also had a temporary nephrotic syndrome). Five children showed some transient decrease in glomerular filtration rate and another patient rapidly developed renal failure and then end stage renal disease. We were able to follow 15 children for 3 years: 8 (53%) still showed outbreaks of gross hematuria, 5 (33%) only had microhematuria and 2 (14%) showed no signs of hematuria. Four children (27%) still had proteinuria. The glomerular filtration rate was still normal in all but two children (one with rapid evolution to end stage renal disease and another with a glomerular filtration decrease of 20%). Ten children were followed for 6 to 13 years. After 6 years, 2 (20%) still showed outbreaks of gross hematuria, 1 (10%) still had proteinuria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)