Primary (Idiopathic) or Secondary
| Proportion of childhood disease | Proportion of adult disease | |
| Minimal change nephrotic syndrome | 80% | 20% |
| Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis | 10% | 20% |
| Membranous nephropathy | 1% | 40% |
| Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis | 5% | 10% |
| Congenital nephrotic syndrome | 2% | |
| Other | 2% | 10% |
| Vasculitis | Henoch Schonlein purpura | ||
| SLE | |||
| Wegener's Granulomatosis | |||
| Goodpasture's syndrome | |||
| Cryoglobulinaemia | |||
| Metabolic | Diabetes mellitus | ||
| Infectious | HIV infection | ||
| Hepatitis | |||
| Epstein Barr virus | |||
| TB | |||
| Malaria | |||
| Neoplasms | Solid tumours | ||
| Lymphoma | |||
| Leukaemia | |||
| Drugs | Penicillamine | ||
| Heavy metals | |||
| Intravenous drug use (heroin) | |||
| Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs | |||
| Genetic | Alport's syndrome | ||
| Nail patella syndrome | |||
| Fabry's disease | |||
| Sickle cell anaemia |