title: Levamisole in children's idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.
abstract: 13 children with frequently relapsing and/or steroid-dependent idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) were treated with levamisole. 2.5 mg of levamisole per kilogram body weight twice a week (cycle A) were administered to all patients during 2-16 months (mean 5.8). A daily administration of the same dose of levamisole was given during 2-9 months (mean 4.9) to 8 patients who did not respond to cycle A (cycle B). A beneficial effect was observed in 6 cases: 4 with cycle A and 2 with cycle B. These patients suffered no relapse despite a significant decrease in the amount of prednisone administered or its discontinuation and they experienced a remission period of 7-29 months without prednisone administration. The side effects of the therapy turned out to be minimal both with cycle A and B. Levamisole may be effective in frequently relapsing and/or steroid-dependent INS with minimal side effects.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Pediatria, Università di Napoli, Italia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Manna
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Polito
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Del Gado
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Foglia
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007978:Levamisole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012008:Recurrence; D013256:Steroids; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D007978:Levamisole