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To determine the patterns in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS) in our region, we retrospectively studied 25 nephrotic patients evaluated and followed-up in the hospitals of the Aljouf region in Saudi Arabia. The male to female ratio was 2:1. The incidence of idiopathic NS was two to six cases per 100,000 children/year, while the prevalence was 12 cases per 100,000 children. Five patients presented with hypertension, seven (28%) with respiratory tract infection, three (12%) with tender abdomen, two (8%) with gross hematuria, one (4%) with thrombosis of renal veins with seizure and shock and the remaining seven presented to the hospital without complications. Twenty-three (92%) patients were sensitive to the first steroid course and two (8%) patients were steroid resistant, and both of them proved to have focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) on biopsy. Of those who responded, six (24%) patients remained in remission, while 17 (68%) patients became steroid dependant. Of those who were diagnosed as steroid dependent, three patients were biopsied and one of them was diagnosed as FSGS, while the remaining two had minimal change glomerulonephritis. Regarding steroid-dependent patient relapses, seven (41%) patients showed infrequent relapses and ten (59%) patients had frequent relapses. We conclude that the patterns of NS and the response to treatment observed in this study did not differ significantly from studies from other places in the world.

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and etiology of kidney failure (KF) among children below 15 years of age receiving chronic dialysis in Saudi Arabia and describe their dialysis modalities. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 8 August 2022, encompassing all 23 pediatric dialysis centers in Saudi Arabia. Data gathered comprised patient demographics, causes of KF, and the dialysis methods employed. Collected data underwent analysis to determine prevalence of children undergoing chronic dialysis, discern underlying causes of KF, and evaluate distribution of patients across different dialysis modalities. Results: The prevalence of children on chronic dialysis is 77.6 per million children living in Saudi Arabia, equating to 419 children. The predominant underlying cause of KF was congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT), representing a substantial 41% of cases. Following this, others or unknown etiologies accounted for a noteworthy 25% of cases, with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) comprising 13%, glomerulonephritis at 11%, and congenital nephrotic syndrome contributing 10% to etiological distribution. Regarding dialysis modalities employed, 67% of patients were on peritoneal dialysis (PD), while the remaining 33% were on hemodialysis (HD). Conclusions: This first nationwide study of pediatric chronic dialysis in Saudi Arabia sheds light on the prevalence of children undergoing chronic dialysis and underlying causes of their KF, thereby contributing to our understanding of clinical management considerations. This research serves as a stepping stone for the development of national registries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]