الفهرس 
Childhood Nephrotic syndromeOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Most cases of nephrotic syndrome (NS) have disease relapse and 50% develop frequent relapsing NS or steroid dependent NS. Eighty percent of plasma zinc is bound to albumin which is lost in urine in NS during relapse period so, serum zinc level is decreased during NS attacks and more decreased in frequently relapsing NS. Zinc (Zn) supplementation reduces morbidity and mortality, especially among children due to infectious diseases, and also has immune-modulator effects.
Aim of the work: To assess whether zinc supplementation can reduce the relapse and infection rates in children with nephrotic syndrome or not?
Patients and Methods: This interventional study was conducted at Pediatric Nephrology Clinic, Children’s Hospital, Ain Shams University. It comprised 40 patients with frequent relapsing NS divided into two groups (zinc and control groups). Both received routine medical care of nephrotic syndrome, but zinc group received also oral zinc supplementation 10 mg/day for 6 months with doubling the dose during infection period and relapse time. Serum zinc was measured at the start and at the end of the study. Relapse rate, hospitalization rate, number of days of hospitalization, time of relapse, and investigations were compared before and after zinc supplementation.
Results: There was low serum zinc level in most cases of frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome. Oral zinc supplementation in FRNS improved serum zinc level by 22.72%, reduced relapse rate by 28% and reduced hospitalization days by 33.7%. Although there was no significant improvement as regards hospitalization rate and time of relapse, sustained remission occurred in 80% of patients of zinc group.
Conclusion: Oral zinc supplementation in frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome children is useful for reduction of relapse rate and hospital stay, and achieving sustained remission.