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Glomerulonephritis in childhood
1Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, Milwaukee 53226, USA.
Insights
Pediatric glomerulonephritis, including IgA nephropathy, has improved diagnostic recognition and understanding of its progression. However, targeted treatments for children with these kidney diseases remain an area for future research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Glomerular Diseases
- Renal Pathology
Background:
- Advances in renal biopsy techniques enhance the diagnosis of pediatric glomerulonephritis.
- Significant morbidity is associated with childhood kidney diseases like IgA nephropathy and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
- Understanding of progressive renal disease pathophysiology has grown, yet pediatric-specific treatments are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review four common types of glomerulonephritis in children.
- To summarize current literature on prognosis, genetics, and therapies for these conditions.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical and pathological features of childhood glomerulonephritis.
- Synthesis of recent literature on prognosis, genetics, and therapeutic developments.
Main Results:
- Detailed review of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy, Alport's syndrome, and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
- Summary of current knowledge regarding the natural history and progression of these pediatric kidney diseases.
Conclusions:
- Improved recognition and understanding of pediatric glomerulonephritis have been achieved.
- There is a critical need for further clinical research into specific treatment modalities for children with these conditions.
Abstract:
Safer renal biopsy techniques have led to increased recognition of the various forms of glomerulonephritis in the pediatric population. Our understanding of their natural history and progression has improved, and we now know that there is significant morbidity associated with diseases such as IgA nephropathy and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Knowledge of the pathophysiology of progressive renal disease has also expanded, but specific treatment modalities, especially for children, are lacking and continue to be areas for future clinical research. This article reviews four types of glomerulonephritis that occur in childhood: acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy, Alport's syndrome, and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. The clinical and pathologic features of each are reviewed, and the current literature covering new developments in their prognosis, genetics, or therapies are summarized.