title: Cyclosporin A in refractory idiopathic nephrotic syndrome: 5 years clinical experience.
abstract: The use of cyclosporin A (Cy A) in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, particularly lesions of focal segmental glomerular sclerosis, is controversial. A retrospective study of 10 adult patients with nephrotic syndrome treated with Cy A was performed. Histological diagnosis was established in all patients: focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (n = 6), focal global sclerosis (n = 1), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (n = 1), focal proliferative glomerulonephritis (n = 1) and minimal change disease (n = 1). All patients had previously received immunosuppressive therapy (duration of steroids 1-76 months; 35.0 +/- 12.1, mean +/- SEM). Cy A in a dose of 3-5 mg/kg/day, reduced proteinuria from 16.85 +/- 6.67 to 3.37 +/- 1.48 g/24 hours (P = 0.008), with an associated increase in serum albumin from 15.2 +/- 2.6 to 34.3 +/- 2.5 g/l (P < 0.001). In six patients steroid therapy was discontinued. Cy A was well tolerated for up to 5 years. There was no significant nephrotoxicity. In conclusion, Cy A was effective treatment of refractory idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, including those cases with focal segmental glomerular sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Delaney
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Dukes
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Edmunds
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine