Abstract

Nephrotic syndrome is characterized by massive proteinüria, hypoalbuminemia, and edema. Immunoglobulin changes, T lymphocyte function disorders, and the reduction in complement levels in the nephrotic syndrome cause an increase in the risk of viral and bacterial infections.

For this purpose, children with nephrotic syndrome followed in the Pediatric Nephrology Department were screened for antibody levels and seroconversion of hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chicken pox, mumps, measles, rubella, and pneumococcus vaccines.

An evaluation of the seroconversion status of study and control groups revealed that all the children had negative anti CMV IgM, anti HCV, anti HIV, anti HAV IgM, HBsAg, antimumps IgM, antimeasles IgM and antirubella IgM. Only two children in the study group had anti-VZV IgM positive.

When the study and control groups were evaluated within the groups separately, a statistically significant difference was observed in the positivity of anti HAV IgG, antiHBs, anti pneumococ IgG, anti VZV IgG, antimumps IgG, antimeasles IgG and antirubella IgG before and after vaccination.

When the study and control groups were compared to each other in respect to antibody titers before and after vaccination, there was no significant difference in anti HAV IgG, anti HBs, antipneumococcus IgG, antimumps IgG, antimeasles IgG and antirubella IgG. But the study groups were statically different in respect to anti VZV IgG.

The evaluation of children with nephrotic syndrome for the seroconversion status and their vaccination against the necessary microorganisms would be a cost effective approach reducing the frequency of relapses and infection related morbidity and mortality.