title: Pulse methylprednisolone therapy in severe idiopathic childhood nephrotic syndrome.
abstract: The effect of methyl prednisolone therapy (PM) was studied in 18 children with severe idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS). Eight patients were defined as "corticosteroid-resistant" because there was no response to treatment after a minimum of 4 weeks of 2 mg/kg/day of prednisone; 10 patients had a corticosteroid-dependent NS with frequent relapses which occurred under a high threshold dose of prednisone (1 mg/kg/day). Each patient received 4-6 pulses of 1 g/1.73 m2 methylprednisolone. Tolerance was generally good. PM therapy permitted a more rapid remission than oral prednisone (average 9 +/- 4 days vs. 22 +/- 9 days). Remission occurred in 5 of the 8 corticosteroid-resistant patients three of these 5 patients developed corticosteroid-dependent NS. For the children with a corticosteroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome, PM therapy did not affect the threshold dose of prednisone.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009400:Nephrosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009402:Nephrosis, Lipoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D008775:Methylprednisolone