A height-growth study of children with steroidresponsive nephrotic syndrome

Abstract

The heights of 77 children with steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome were measured. Most patients had received repeated courses of high-dose corticosteroids. The results demonstrate that at the time of taking corticosteroid therapy growth was impaired and that this effect was related to the total amount of prednisone administered. However, repeated courses of high-dose corticosteroids do not affect the height attained at the end of the follow-up because catch-up growth ocurred during the periods off therapy. The adult ultimate height could be measured in 7 patients and it was situated within normal percentiles. There was no correlation between ultimate height attainment and total dose of prednisone received during childhood.