Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the pulmonary arterial pressure in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS).

Methods: Doppler echocardiography was performed in 40 children with NS (aged 1.5–13 years) at NS onset (n = 28) or relapse (n = 12), and 40 normal controls. Pulmonary pressure was estimated by: (1) measuring the systolic transtricuspid gradient from tricuspid regurgitation; and (2) measuring the time to peak velocity of pulmonary flow.

Results: Thirty five of the 40 patients with NS had measurable tricuspid regurgitation with a pulmonary systolic pressure ranging from 21 to 48 mm Hg. Pulmonary systolic pressure was >40 mm Hg in seven patients. The pulmonary time to peak velocity was shortened and the ratio of time to peak velocity and right ventricular ejection time decreased compared with controls. The patients with increased pulmonary pressure had a longer time since onset of NS. One patient developed thrombus in the inferior vena cava during hospitalisation.

Conclusion: Pulmonary arterial pressure was increased in children with NS. Further work is needed to evaluate the aetiology and clinical implications of this abnormality.