Acute Glomerular Diseases in Children

Abstract

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is one of the common acquired pediatric renal disorders encountered in clinical practice. The clinical manifestations include gross or microscopic hematuria, proteinuria, and nephrotic syndrome. Renal dysfunction and hypertension may also be present in many patients. Etiopathogenesis of GN can be idiopathic in a large majority, while some may result from infections or known immune disorders. Several of these disorders are now believed to arise from dysfunctions of podocytes and are grouped under the heading of "podocytopathies". This review focuses on the clinical manifestations and management of the common forms of acute GN encountered in children.