Epidemiologic Features of the First Flare of Ne-phrotic Syndrome in Children in Bamako Pedi-atric Hospitals

Introduction: The most frequent glomerular pathology in children, nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a cosmopolitan affection. It is an immunological disease and certain environmental factors, in particular viral infections and allergens, influence its occurrence. The climatic and environmental differences coupled with the frequency of infectious pathologies signing the African particularity and the absence of data in Mali on this affection, motivated us to carry out this work. Objective: To study the epidemiological aspects of nephrotic syndrome in hospitalized children aged 0 - 15 years. Patients and Methods: This was a descriptive prospective study from January 1 to December 31, 2021 in the Pediatrics Department of the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Gabriel Touré, anational pediatric reference service in Mali. Diagnostic confirmation was provided by biology. Results: In one year, 120 children were hospitalized for nephrotic syndrome with a sex ratio of 2.75. Male exclusivity was observed at the ages of one year, eight years and 14 years and a reversal at 13 years (sex-ratio = 0.33). The median age was 6 years for an average age of 6.4 years ± 2.4 years with extremes ranging from one year to 14 years. The first attack of nephrotic syndrome occurred outside the classic age (>10 years) in 16.67%. Nephrotic syndrome is observed throughout the year with two peaks in summer (July to September) and winter (December to February). Many ethnic groups were affected by this condition with a high frequency among ethnic groups where endogamy is common. All patients were melanoderms. No cases of NS were recorded in Caucasian children from Northern Mali. The patients came from Bamako in 47.5% of cases. Two brothers from the same siblings had had their first attack of nephrotic syndrome the same year, ten months apart. Conclusion: Nephrotic syndrome in pediatric hospitals of Bamako occurs at a median age of six years all along the year with a summer and winter peaks. It is more observed in ethnic groups where the practice of endogamy is common and concerns melanoderm children.