National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Congenital nephrotic syndrome Finnish type



Other Names:
Nephrosis 1, congenital, Finnish type; Congenital nephrotic syndrome 1; Nephrosis, congenital; Nephrosis 1, congenital, Finnish type; Congenital nephrotic syndrome 1; Nephrosis, congenital; Finnish congenital nephrosis; NPHS1; CNF See More
Categories:

Congenital nephrotic syndrome Finnish type is a genetic condition of the kidney that begins early in development during pregnancy or within the first three months of life. The syndrome is characterized by a group of symptoms, including protein in the urine (proteinuria), low blood protein levels, high cholesterol levels, and swelling (nephrotic syndrome), which progresses rapidly to end-stage kidney disease. Infants with congenital nephrotic syndrome may have failure to thrive and frequent infections. Although more commonly seen in individuals of Finnish descent, congenital nephrotic syndrome Finnish type has been reported worldwide. Congenital nephrotic syndrome Finnish type is caused by mutations in the NPHS1 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. At this time, kidney transplantation seems to be the only treatment available for this condition.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 12/6/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal renal tubule morphology 0000091
Delayed eruption of permanent teeth
Delayed eruption of adult teeth
0000696
Elevated amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein 0004639
Nephrotic syndrome 0000100
Proteinuria
High urine protein levels
Protein in urine
[ more ]
0000093
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Abdominal distention
Abdominal bloating
Abdominal swelling
Belly bloating
Bloating
[ more ]
0003270
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Congenital nephrotic syndrome 0008677
Congenital onset
Symptoms present at birth
0003577
Diffuse mesangial sclerosis 0001967
Edema
Fluid retention
Water retention
[ more ]
0000969
Gastroesophageal reflux
Acid reflux
Acid reflux disease
Heartburn
[ more ]
0002020
Glomerulosclerosis 0000096
Growth delay
Delayed growth
Growth deficiency
Growth failure
Growth retardation
Poor growth
Retarded growth
[ more ]
0001510
Hyperlipidemia
Elevated lipids in blood
0003077
Hypoalbuminemia
Low blood albumin
0003073
Hypoproteinemia
Decreased protein levels in blood
0003075
Hypothyroidism
Underactive thyroid
0000821
Neonatal respiratory distress
Infantile respiratory distress
Newborn respiratory distress
Respiratory distress, neonatal
[ more ]
0002643
Pyloric stenosis 0002021
Rapidly progressive
Worsening quickly
0003678
Recurrent infections
Frequent infections
Frequent, severe infections
Increased frequency of infection
infections, recurrent
Predisposition to infections
Susceptibility to infection
[ more ]
0002719
Renal insufficiency
Renal failure
Renal failure in adulthood
[ more ]
0000083
Renal tubular atrophy 0000092
Small for gestational age
Birth weight less than 10th percentile
Low birth weight
[ more ]
0001518
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • Orphanet lists international laboratories offering diagnostic testing for this condition.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Differential diagnoses include other forms of early onset nephrotic syndrome, including Denys Drash syndrome, Pierson syndrome, Galloway Mowat syndrome, Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia and congenital membranous nephropathy due to maternal anti-neutral endopeptidase alloimmunization.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • Orphanet lists European clinical trials, research studies, and patient registries enrolling people with this condition. 

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Providing General Support


Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

  • The Assistance Fund provides various services, including education and financial aid, to help patients with a chronic or serious illness cover the cost of FDA-approved medications. Patients must be U.S citizens or permanent residents.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Congenital nephrotic syndrome Finnish type. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.

In-Depth Information

  • The Merck Manual for health care professionals provides information on Congenital nephrotic syndrome Finnish type.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Congenital nephrotic syndrome Finnish type. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Lee BH, Ahn YH, Choi HJ, Kang HK, Kim S, Cho B et al. Two Korean Infants with Genetically Confirmed Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome of Finnish Type. J Korean Med Sci. 2009; 24(Suppl 1):S210-4. http://jkms.org/Synapse/Data/PDFData/0063JKMS/jkms-24-S210.pdf.
  2. Lidvana Spahiu, Besart Merovci, Haki Jashari, Arbnore Batalli Këpuska, Blerta Elezi Rugova. Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome – Finish Type. Med Arch. June 2016; 70(3):232-234. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5010061/.
  3. Niaudet, P. Congenital nephrotic syndrome, Finnish type. Orphanet. February 2007; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=en&Expert=839. Accessed 12/6/2016.