DURING the two and one-half years from April, 1951, to December, 1953, we have treated 30 children with the nephrotic syndrome at the Children's Hospital. Therapy has been divided into two phases: (1) the delivery of edema through rigid sodium restriction with or without the administration of dextran,* PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone), or urea, and (2) an attempt to correct the renal abnormalities by administration of corticotropin (ACTH) alone or in combination with nitrogen mustard. All cases of nephrotic syndrome have been treated as they presented themselves, irrespective of whether or not they fell into the category of so-called "lipoid nephrosis." Diagnosis was based on currently accepted criteria.1 The results indicate the beneficial effects of the above therapy but also illustrate a potential hazard.
STATUS PRIOR TO TREATMENT
Physical Findings.—In the Figure, the sex, the age at admission, and the duration of the illness are shown. Generalized edema had been