Factors predicting the recovery from acute kidney injury in children with primary nephrotic syndrome

Background The prognosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) varies in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS), data on factors predicting the recovery and recurrence of AKI in children with NS are limited. This study aimed to explore the possible factors predicting the recovery from and recurrence of AKI in children with primary NS. Methods Children with primary NS complicated with AKI from 1993 to 2017 in a single centre were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical pictures and possible factors predicting the recovery from and recurrence of AKI in children with primary NS were investigated. Results Sixty-eight episodes of AKI in 59 children with NS were analysed: 88.2% of AKI recovered within 3 months, and 2.9% of AKI did not recover after 3 months. Survival analysis revealed that leucocyturia is significantly related to the AKI recovery time ( P = 0.001), and children with leucocyturia [22 (4, 79) days] recovered significantly slower than did children without leucocyturia [12.0 (2, 39) days]. Renal tubular and interstitial injury were prominent in children with leucocyturia, and 11.9% of children with index AKI experienced the recurrence of AKI. Conclusions Most episodes of AKI that occurred in children with NS recovered completely. Leucocyturia is a significant factor predicting the recovery time of AKI.