Glomerular tip changes in childhood minimal change nephropathy

Segmental glomerular lesions at the tubular opening, or tip changes, are found in the renal biopsies of adults in many disorders, including some initially considered to show minimal change nephropathy. The hypothesis was that similar tip changes occurred in children. We reviewed a consecutive series of 50 biopsies, diagnosed as minimal change nephropathy, from 49 children. Segmental lesions were found in five biopsies. One biopsy showed lesions at the glomerular hilum. The patient was in remission at follow-up. Four biopsies showed only tip changes. Three patients were in remission, two on no treatment at follow-up, and one on ciclosporin. The other had chronic hepatitis B infection, with persistent proteinuria and segmental lesions at different sites in glomeruli. The other 44 children were nearly all in remission, 18 without treatment at follow-up, and the rest on various immunosuppressants, but one had persistent proteinuria and multiple segmental lesions. Series of childhood minimal change nephropathy, similar to this one, are likely to include cases of the glomerular tip lesion, under the original definition of minimal change nephropathy plus tip changes. This should make little difference in clinical practice, because the clinical course should resemble that of minimal change nephropathy.