Pediatr Nephrol DOI 10.1007/s00467-014-2903-7

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Best practice guidelines for idiopathic nephrotic syndrome: recommendations versus reality Andrea Pasini & Gabriella Aceto & Anita Ammenti & Gianluigi Ardissino & Vitalba Azzolina & Alberto Bettinelli & Elena Cama & Sante Cantatore & Antonella Crisafi & Giovanni Conti & Maria D’Agostino & Alessandra Dozza & Alberto Edefonti & Carmelo Fede & Elena Groppali & Chiara Gualeni & Alessandra Lavacchini & Marta Lepore & Silvio Maringhini & Paola Mariotti & Marco Materassi & Francesca Mencarelli & Giovanni Messina & Amata Negri & Marina Piepoli & Fiammetta Ravaglia & Angela Simoni & Laura Spagnoletta & Giovanni Montini & On behalf of the NefroKid Study Group

Received: 22 March 2014 / Revised: 2 June 2014 / Accepted: 30 June 2014 # The Author(s) 2014. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com

Abstract Background The optimal therapeutic regimen for managing childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) is still under debate. We have evaluated the choice of steroid regimen and of symptomatic treatment adopted by pediatricians and pediatric nephrologists in a large number of centers as the first step towards establishing a shared protocol

Methods This was a multicenter, retrospective study. A total of 231 children (132 admitted to pediatric units) aged 6 months to 2 mg/mg, hypoalbuminemia (