Nephrotic syndrome in pediatric age
Diagnosis and treatment of the onset and first relapse

Key words: Nephrotic syndrome, Diagnosis, Treatment, Italian Paediatric Nephrology Association, Consensus

In Italy are not guidelines for the management of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) in paediatric age. The choice of a treatment with steroids has always been based on the clinical experience of each centre. The present Consensus of the Italian Paediatric Nephrology Association, updated as an overview of the literature in August 2015, aims to provide a multidisciplinary review on the diagnosis and treatment of NS at the onset by proposing a shared therapeutic protocol for both hospital and family paediatricians. The Consensus gives recommendations on the early recognition and treatment of complications (oedema, hypovolemia, infections and thromboembolic events) as well as on the definition of cortico-resistance and indications on the performance of kidney biopsy.