After real-time PCR verification, 6 miRNAs up-regulated in nephrotic syndrome patients, including hsa-miR-181a, hsa-miR-210, hsa-miR-30a, hsa-miR-942, hsa-miR-192 and hsa-miR-586. miRNA-30a significantly overexpressed in nephrotic syndrome patients and with no difference between genders. miRNA-30a expression level in drug resistant nephrotic syndrome patients was obviously higher than the drug sensitive patients. miRNA-30a up-regulated most significantly in mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis among different pathology types, while it decreased most obviously in glomerular lesions. miRNA differently expressed in the serum of nephrotic syndrome patients. miRNA-30a could be treated as the molecular marker in predict drug resistance and pathological type of nephrotic syndrome.