Renal failure as a presenting sign of diffuse sarcoidosis in an adolescent girl

We report a renal failure due to sarcoid granulomatous infiltration of the kidney that was documented by renal biopsy in an adolescent black albino girl. Treatment with prednisone was associated with improvement in the clinical disease and the histologic picture on repeat biopsy. With cessation of prednisone there was clinical and histological relapse while reinstitution of prednisone therapy was again associated with improvement. Experience with this child, as well as that reported previously in seven similar adult patients, would indicate that prednisone is an effective drug to control this unusual problem.