INVESTIGATING ETIOLOGIES AND RENAL HISTOLOGIC PATTERNS IN 6 ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH NEPHROTIC SYNDROME

Abstract

Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is the most common manifestation of glomerular diseases in the elderly and a most common indication of kidney biopsy. NS in the elderly is not as common as the young but more difficult to make diagnosis of etiologies, classification of renal histologic patterns and treatment because NS is frequently associated with various coexisting conditions. In Vietnam, the elderly population has been increased significantly therefore frequency of the elderly patients with NS is also increasing. Kidney biopsy is an invasive technique that is useful in diagnosing etiologies and classifying renal pathology. During recent years, renal pathology and biochemical immunology have been progressing rapidly. Therefore, the results of kidney biopsy are usually potential and valuable in clinical practice. We reported 6 elderly patients with NS performed kidney biopsy in Department of Nephrology, HCMCity during the period from 2/2012 to 12/2014 to investigate etiologies and renal histologic patterns. Materials and method: case report. The reported clinical cases were primary renal amyloidosis, IgA nephropathy secondary to liver cancer, minimal change NS associated with diabetes, NS caused by renal lymphoma infiltration, NS with minimal change associated by interferon and thrombotic microangiopathy. Conclusions: Nephrotic syndrome in the elderly might be associated with coexisting conditions and caused by several primary and secondary causes. Therefore, kidney biopsy should be considered to perform to make exact diagnosis in etiology, and to classify histologic patterns. Key words: Nephrotic syndrome, elderly, histologic patterns, kidney biopsy