The treatment of relapsing primary nephrotic syndrome in children.
OBJECTIVE
To explore better therapy and reduce the rate of re-relapse of primary nephritic syndrome in children who had been treated with corticosteroids but relapsed.


METHODS
Eighty relapsers were enrolled from Jan. 1994 to Apr. 2000, who were randomly divided into two groups. The treatment group (n=39) had been treated with tripterysium glucosides for three months, with the control group (n=41) members were treated with cyclophosphmide (CTX) by intermission intravenous pulse, with total dose of CTX not being more than 150 mg/kg. Prednisone, meanwhile, was given to both groups. The total treatment period of prednisone was prolonged by 12-18 months.


RESULTS
After following up for 3-7 years, the re-relapse rates of both groups were observed. The re-relapse rate of the treatment group was 28.2% to 29.3% in the CTX-controlled group. The re-relapse rates between two groups were almost similar, and with no observed significant difference (P>0.05). The side effect of tripterysium glucosides was less than that of CTX.


CONCLUSIONS
For the treatment of relapsing nephritic syndrome in children, the combination of tripterysium glucosides and prolonged corticosteroid therapy is as effective as the regimen of CTX plus prolonged use of prednisone.
Wang
Ya-ping
YP
Affiliated Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. yaping_wang163@163.com
Liu
Ai-min
AM
Dai
Yu-wen
YW
Yang
Cheng
C
Tang
Hong-feng
HF
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005960:Glucosides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005960:Glucosides; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone