TY - JOUR
T1 - Incidence of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Paris area (France) and in the Netherlands
AU - Veltkamp, Floor
AU - Thenot, Victoire
AU - Mussies, Carlijn
AU - van Lieshout, Bas
AU - Peters-Sengers, Hessel
AU - on behalf of the NEPHROVIR network, the LEARNS consortium
AU - Kers, Jesper
AU - Khan, Djera H.
AU - Hogan, Julien
AU - Florquin, Sandrine
AU - Bouts, Antonia H. M.
AU - Dossier, Claire
N1 - Funding Information: The LEARNS study is funded with a consortium grant from the Dutch Kidney Foundation (CP16.03). Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/11
Y1 - 2023/11
N2 - Background: The aetiology of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) remains partially unknown. Viral infections have been associated with INS onset. Since we observed fewer first onset INS cases during the Covid-19 pandemic, we hypothesised that lower INS incidence was the result of lockdown measures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of childhood INS before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in two independent European INS cohorts. Methods: Children with new INS in the Netherlands (2018–2021) and Paris area (2018–2021) were included. We estimated incidences using census data for each region. Incidences were compared using two proportion Z-tests. Results: A total of 128 and 324 cases of first onset INS were reported in the Netherlands and Paris area, respectively, corresponding to an annual incidence of 1.21 and 2.58 per 100,000 children/year. Boys and young children (< 7 years) were more frequently affected. Incidence before and during the pandemic did not differ. When schools were closed, incidence was lower in both regions: 0.53 vs. 1.31 (p = 0.017) in the Netherlands and 0.94 vs. 2.63 (p = 0.049) in the Paris area. During peaks of hospital admissions for Covid-19, no cases were reported in the Netherlands or Paris area. Conclusions: Incidence of INS before and during the Covid-19 pandemic was not different, but when schools were closed during lockdown, incidence was significantly lower. Interestingly, incidences of other respiratory viral infections were also reduced as was air pollution. Together, these results argue for a link between INS onset and viral infections and/or environmental factors. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
AB - Background: The aetiology of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) remains partially unknown. Viral infections have been associated with INS onset. Since we observed fewer first onset INS cases during the Covid-19 pandemic, we hypothesised that lower INS incidence was the result of lockdown measures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of childhood INS before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in two independent European INS cohorts. Methods: Children with new INS in the Netherlands (2018–2021) and Paris area (2018–2021) were included. We estimated incidences using census data for each region. Incidences were compared using two proportion Z-tests. Results: A total of 128 and 324 cases of first onset INS were reported in the Netherlands and Paris area, respectively, corresponding to an annual incidence of 1.21 and 2.58 per 100,000 children/year. Boys and young children (< 7 years) were more frequently affected. Incidence before and during the pandemic did not differ. When schools were closed, incidence was lower in both regions: 0.53 vs. 1.31 (p = 0.017) in the Netherlands and 0.94 vs. 2.63 (p = 0.049) in the Paris area. During peaks of hospital admissions for Covid-19, no cases were reported in the Netherlands or Paris area. Conclusions: Incidence of INS before and during the Covid-19 pandemic was not different, but when schools were closed during lockdown, incidence was significantly lower. Interestingly, incidences of other respiratory viral infections were also reduced as was air pollution. Together, these results argue for a link between INS onset and viral infections and/or environmental factors. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
KW - Covid-19
KW - Incidence
KW - Nephrotic syndrome
KW - Paediatric
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85159628710&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-023-06006-9
DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-023-06006-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 37191940
SN - 0931-041X
VL - 38
SP - 3681
EP - 3692
JO - Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
JF - Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
IS - 11
ER -