In this study 104 cases of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MGPN) diagnosed during the last seven years are reevaluated in regard to the clinical and pathological features and associated conditions. MPGN constitutes 14% (104/713) of the renal diseases in children requiring biopsy. 91% (95/104) of all the MPGN cases were idiopathic, whereas 9% (9/104) of the MPGN and 1% (9/713) of the tissue diagnostic approach requiring cases were secondary to an underlying disease: SLE, staphylococcic sepsis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, splenectomized thalassemia, rheumatic carditis, post-necrotic cirrhosis, HBsAg (+) chronic hepatitis and viral myocarditis.

Age distribution varied from three to 18 years, with an arithmetic mean, mode and median of 10 years. Clinical presentations were as follows: nephrotic syndrome (58%), nephritic syndrome (38%), asymptomatic proteinuria and hematuria (2%) and chronic renal failure (2%).

Typing, based on light and fluorescent microscopic studies, revealed type I and II to be 69% and 31% respectively. Classical, lobular, crescentic and focal forms of MPGN were observed with the respective percentages of 85, 8, 6 and one. Immunofluorescent staining was absent in 15% and was most frequent with C3, which was usually accompanied by IgM.

Keywords: childhood, histopathology, idiopathic MPGN, immunofluorescence, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, secondary MPGN