Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40968277›Full record

ArticlePediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany)2026

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor and angiopoietin-like protein 4 as markers for steroid response in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Hanaa Al Dash, Heba Mostafa Ahmed, Shireen Ragab Shihatah, Noha Khalifa Abdelghaffar, Mona Gamal Mostafa, Sherin Khamis Hussein

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hanaa Al DashDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.
Heba Mostafa AhmedDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt.
Shireen Ragab ShihatahDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.
Noha Khalifa AbdelghaffarDepartment of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.
Mona Gamal MostafaDepartment of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt. mgm03@fayoum.edu.eg.
Sherin Khamis HusseinDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIdiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) is a significant kidney disorder in pediatrics. Early diagnosis of minimal change disease (MCD) is difficult in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS). Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4), found on the surface of podocytes, has been linked to nephrotic syndrome (NS) and plays a role in triggering proteinuria. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) functions as a crucial modulator of the innate immune system and partly counteracts glucocorticoid-induced immune system inhibition. This study aimed to assess the role of ANGPTL4 and MIF as biomarkers in steroid responsiveness of INS.

methodsThis cross-sectional comparative study involved 70 children with NS and 40 healthy children as a control group.

resultsUrinary MIF/creatinine levels were significantly elevated in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) relative to in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) and controls (p < 0.001). However, ANGPTL4 levels were significantly elevated in the SSNS group relative to the SRNS and control groups (p < 0.001). Regarding plasma MIF and urinary MIF/creatinine levels, there were no significant differences between MCD and FSGS, whereas ANGPTL4 levels were significantly elevated in MCD relative to FSGS (p < 0.001).

conclusionsElevated levels of serum and urinary MIF levels were consistent with SRNS. Furthermore, ANGPTL4 was found to be highly upregulated in SSNS, unlike SRNS, which serves as a potential marker to distinguish between these two diseases.

Indexed as

Angiopoietin-Like Protein 4GlucocorticoidsIntramolecular OxidoreductasesMacrophage Migration-Inhibitory FactorsNephrosis, LipoidNephrotic SyndromeAdolescentBiomarkersCase-Control StudiesChildChild, PreschoolCreatinineCross-Sectional StudiesDrug ResistanceFemaleHumansAngiopoietin-Like Protein 4ANGPTL4 protein, humanBiomarkersCreatinineGlucocorticoidsIntramolecular OxidoreductasesMacrophage Migration-Inhibitory FactorsMIF protein, humanAngiopoietin-like 4Macrophage migration inhibitory factorMinimal change diseaseNephrotic syndrome

Identifiers

PMID40968277
PMCPMC12727841

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.