The aim of this multicentre study was to analyse the long-term outcome of idiopathic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) according to histological type and to the presence of C3 nephritic factor. Fifty patients aged 2-14 years at the onset of the study were followed over 2-20 years; 26 patients had MPGN type I, 17 had type II and 7 had type III. Treatment was variable. At the last observation, 30 patients had reached terminal and four pre-terminal renal failure. The median survival probability until renal death was 15.3, 8.7 and 15.9 years for disease types I, II and III respectively (difference between MPGN types I + III versus type II: p = 0.013). The presence of an initial nephrotic syndrome was associated with a more rapid progression (p = 0.018). C3 nephritic factor was of no prognostic value. We conclude that the outcome of MPGN mainly depends on the histological type observed.

Whiskers of twinned SiC in the cubic form were produced by the vapor‐liquid‐solid process as a byproduct of the corrosion of silicon nitride. These whiskers were characterized and their properties related to their use in reinforced materials.

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