title: Comparison of pulse and oral steroid in childhood membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been no controlled study comparing efficacy of pulse versus oral steroid therapy in childhood membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). This study aimed to compare these therapies and renal outcome over a long-term period for MPGN.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outcome measures in 11 patients with MPGN treated with pulse methylprednisolone (MP) were compared with 8 patients with MPGN treated with oral prednisolone (P).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen children with idiopathic MPGN (mean age 9.75 years, range 3.7-14 years) were followed for a mean period of 68.21 months (range 4-124 months). Both treatment groups were similar in demographic, clinical, laboratory and histopathological characteristics on presentation. In the pulse MP group, only 1 patient out of 11 progressed to end-stage renal failure (ESRF), compared with 4 patients out of 8 in the oral P group (p=0.041). For long-term renal survival, those patients with more than 8 years of follow-up were further evaluated. Twelve patients had completed 8 years of follow-up; in the pulse MP group, 1 of 7 patients, compared with 4 of 5 patients in the oral P group progressed to ESRF (p=0.039). Chronic damage in the presentation biopsy and lack of remission in patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS) were positively associated with adverse renal outcome (p=0.02, p=0.006, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pulse MP therapy may be superior to oral P therapy in children with MPGN in preserving renal function without any increase in steroid-related side effects. Chronic damage in the presentation biopsy and lack of remission of NS are adverse features.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey. elifbahat@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bahat
authors.forename: Bahar Kilicarslan
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Akkaya
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akman
authors.forename: Gulten
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karpuzoglu
authors.forename: Afer Gur
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Guven
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015432:Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000209:etiology; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002784:Cholesterol; D008775:Methylprednisolone