Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) is a prevalent kidney disorder in pediatric patients, characterized by significant proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and edema, which poses serious health risks and economic burdens due to frequent relapses and hospitalizations. This study aims to explore the utility of shear wave elastography (SWE) as a novel, non-invasive biomarker for assessing renal health in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a cross-sectional design involving 76 pediatric patients with PNS and a control group, and measured renal stiffness through SWE The clinical characteristics of the nephrotic group were collected, including age, sex, disease duration, clinical type, 24-h urine protein, plasma albumin, and the relationship with 2D-SWE value was analyzed. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated a significant difference in renal elasticity, with the nephrotic syndrome group exhibiting a mean shear wave velocity (YM) of 22.36 ± 8.53 kPa compared to 17.51 ± 4.09 kPa in controls (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the area under the ROC curve for SWE was 0.67, indicating moderate predictive capability for renal damage. Notably, there were no significant differences in YM values across various clinical classifications of nephrotic syndrome, suggesting a uniform renal damage assessment irrespective of clinical type. Additionally, renal elasticity did not significantly vary regardless of whether the patient's proteinuria had improved. (p = 0.464), indicating SWE's potential as an independent biomarker. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the promise of SWE in enhancing diagnostic accuracy and prognostic evaluation in pediatric nephrotic syndrome. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Shear wave elastography is a valuable noninvasive method for assessing renal elasticity in children with primary nephrotic syndrome. KEY POINTS: Shear wave elastography (SWE) can be used to evaluate the elasticity of renal tissue. SWE values were higher in children with PNS than in the control group. SWE is a valuable non-invasive method for assessing renal elasticity in children with PNS.