Nephrotic syndrome (NS), a complex renal disorder characterized by proteinuria, oedema and hypoalbuminemia, exhibits a multifactorial aetiology, including genetic factors and race. Further understanding the prominent gene expression and microRNA (miRNA) patterns associated with drug metabolism may aid in the development of treatment options for children with NS. The present study aimed to determine the gene expression profiles of the cytochrome 450 3 A family of genes, CYP2C8, multidrug resistance 1 and glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), through the comparisons of patients with steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS) and steroid-resistant NS (SRNS), using the prediction of miRNAs as a prognostic biomarker. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to identify gene expression patterns in each group, and the Gene Expression Omnibus database was used to predict groups of genes with co-expression patterns. Moreover, a network-based interaction analysis was performed using Human Protein Atlas and STRING databases, to identify the specific gene group involved in NS. MiRDB was also used to determine the specific miRNA associated with the aforementioned gene groups. Results of the present study demonstrated that male patients were more susceptible to NS development. Moreover, in both males and females in the SRNS group, NR3C1, CYP2C8, CYP3A7, CYP3A5 and CYP3A4(statistically insignificant) were upregulated. In addition, results of the present study revealed 10 unique hub miRNAs in the SRNS group that exhibited potential as gene targets for above genes. Collectively, results of the present study may provide novel insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying NS development, which may aid in the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.