title: Efficacy and side effects of cyclosporin A in nephrotic syndrome of childhood.
abstract: The efficacy and side effects of the oral administration of cyclosporin A (Cyc-A) were investigated in 13 children with the nephrotic syndrome. Two of these children were steroid-dependent, 9 were resistant to steroids, and 2 displayed frequent relapses. The diagnosis of 6 patients was mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (MezPGN), of another 6 mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis, and of 1 minimal change disease. Cyc-A was administered for 6 months at a dosage of 7 mg/kg/day with continual monitoring of the serum levels. At the end of the treatment period, 7 of the patients (53.8%) had a total remission, 5 (38.4%) a partial remission, and 1 (7.8%) did not respond to treatment. While total remission was achieved in 4 patients who had responded well to steroids, this was true for only 3 (33.3%) of the 9 patients who had not benefited from steroids. The effects and side effects of Cyc-A on histopathological morphology were also investigated by means of posttreatment biopsies. While histopathological improvement was seen in 3 patients with MezPGN, there was evidence of deterioration in 1 patient with MLH.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D002784:Cholesterol; D003404:Creatinine