Renal biopsies in children in HUSM, Kelantan: indications, results and complications

During a period of three years (February 1995 --January 1998), 30 biopsies were performed for patients within the paediatric age group in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). The majority of these patients (19 cases) had steroid-resistant Nephrotic Syndrome. Other indications were lupus erythematosus (5 cases), acute or chronic glomerulonephritis (5 cases) and infantile nephrotic syndrome (1 case). The biopsy of the 19 cases of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome gave the following findings: 10 showed minimal- change nephrotic syndrome, 4 focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, 3 mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis and one diffuse sclerosing glomerulonephritis while there was insufficient glomeruli for a conclusive diagnosis in one case. The 5 patients with acute/chronic glomerulonephritis showed diffused sclerosing glomerulonephritis. The other 5 patients with lupus nephritis showed mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (2) and severe proliferative glomerulonephritis (3). The 5-month-old child with infantile nephrotic syndrome showed mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis. There were no severe complications noted during or immediately after the procedure. There were 3 cases of gross haematuria, one lasting less than 24 hours and the other two less tha