CASE STUDIES

 

A difficult case of nephrotic syndrome
By R. Coppo

Prof R. Coppo
Professor at the post-graduate School of Nephrology and
post-graduate School of Pediatrics of the University of Turin, Italy.
Chief of the Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Department
and of the Dialysis and Transplantation Laboratory
Regina Margherita Hospital
Turin, Italy.

 

A 14-year-old white girl (body weight 45 Kg; high 160 cm) presented in 1986 with features of nephrotic syndrome. The proteinuria was severe at 10 g/day, with albumin low at 25 g/L. Creatinine clearance was normal (120 ml/min) and urinary sediment irrelevant. The patient had no history of allergies, and no significant past illnesses. A complete work-up for secondary causes of nephrotic syndrome was negative. In particular, the patient had been on no drugs, her laboratory tests were negative or normal for SLE, hepatitis, HIV, ANCA, cryoglobulines and immunoglobulin light chains urinary excretion.

Question 1