Left Atrial Atheromatosis in Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome

Abstract

Three male children who had onset, at approximately age 2 years, of nephrotic syndrome, which progressed to renal insufficiency had left atrial atheromatosis at autopsy disproportionate to the degree of aortic or vascular atheromatosis found. The atrial atheromatous process was distributed in elongated nodules, which had a ridged or corduroy-like appearance on gross examination. Two of the patients showed renal lesions of advanced focal glomerulosclerosis, but one had membranoproliferative glomerulopathy, suggesting that the "syndrome" of early onset nephrotic syndrome progressing to renal insufficiency, hyperlipidemia, and exaggerated left atrial atheromatosis, of which association we have not found a specific report, is etiologically heterogeneous. The patients reported died in 1943, 1952, and 1963. Whether more recent methods of treatment of nephrotic syndrome, hyperlipidemia, or chronic renal insufficiency in children have altered the incidence of such disproportionate left atrial atheromatosis is not known.