Nephrotic syndrome in Trinidadian children

57 children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who were seen at two hospitals in Trinidad between 1989 and 1995 (median follow-up period, 38 months) were classified according to their response to glucocorticoids. 27 (47%) were two to six years old at presentation; 37 (65%) were of East Indian descent, 7 (12%) were of African descent, and 12 (21%) were of mixed race. 55 (96%) responded to glucocorticoids. Renal biopsies in 15 patients revealed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and membranous nephropathy in the two patients who had not responded to glucocorticoids. Ten patients showed mesangial hypercellularity, associated with immunoglobulin deposits in 7 cases. Age, presentation with nephrotic features, mesangial hypercellularity and immunoglobulin deposits did not predict for unresponsiveness to glucocorticoids. These findings may be explained by the predominance of East Indians in the study group.