SERUM LEVELS OF C3 AND FACTOR-I AND FACTOR-B IN MINIMAL CHANGE DISEASE

Background: Relapses are an important problem in minimal change diseas e, which accounts for most of the cases of childhood nephrotic syndrom e. Because of defects in the humoral immune system, patients are predi sposed to infection in nephrotic syndrome and infection is the most im portant complication that determines mortality and morbidity. Methods: In this study, serum levels of Factors I and B and C3 were studied to evaluate the relationships between nephrotic syndrome and infection i n 17 children with nephrotic syndrome (24-96 months of age) and 10 hea lthy children (27-84 months of age). Results: Serum levels of Factors I and B were found to be lowered in the active disease group compared with the control group. These Values were lowest for the infection gro up. Although it was observed that these values increased with steroid treatment, they did not reach normal levels. The parameters in remissi on were not different from the parameters in the control subjects. The serum level of C3 was found to be high during the active disease stat e and returned to normal levels during remission. Conclusions: The pat ients with active minimal change disease had infections such as perito nitis, septicemia and urinary tract infection because of low concentra tions of Factors I and B in their sera.