The form of nephrotic syndrome most often found in children, in which renal biopsies reveal little if any pathological change under the light microscope. Diffuse effacement of renal glomerular foot processes is seen when biopsy specimens are viewed with an electron microscope.

Natural History: Spontaneous remission is common, but, when the disease does not resolve on its own or it relapses, immunosuppressive drugs (such as prednisone, mycophenolate) or chemotherapeutic (cytotoxic) drugs are used to induce remission.

SEE: nephrotic syndrome.