title: The characteristics of relapse in adult-onset minimal-change nephrotic syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although minimal-change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is highly steroid-responsive, the frequency of relapses in some patients is high, necessitating the administration of repeated courses of prednisolone in high doses. It is, therefore, necessary to identify factors that can predict this increased risk of relapse in some patients in order to establish useful treatment methods to reduce the risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  To clarify the factors that might increase the risk of relapses, the data of 82 Japanese adult patients with MCNS receiving treatment at our department were analyzed retrospectively. Of the total, 55 patients (67.1%) experienced relapse after showing an initial response. We divided the patients into two groups; namely, the nonrelapse group (n = 27) and the relapse group (n = 55), and compared the clinico-pathophysiological characteristics between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly increased serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels (P = 0.0002) and increased frequency of steroid side effects were observed in the relapse group as compared to the nonrelapse group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To develop effective therapeutic modalities, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the clinico-pathophysiological characteristics of MCNS patients showing relapse.
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan. ttakei@kc.twmu.ac.jp.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Takei
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Minako
authors: M
authors: Koike
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Suzuki
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Satsuki
authors: S
authors: Shirota
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Mitsuyo
authors: M
authors: Itabashi
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Ohtsubo
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Hidekazu
authors: H
authors: Sugiura
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Suzuki
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Chiari
authors: C
authors: Kojima
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Masaki
authors: M
authors: Takahashi
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Ino
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Tetsuya
authors: T
authors: Ogawa
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Uchida
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Tsuchiya
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Wako
authors: W
authors: Yumura
authors: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
authors: Kosaku
authors: K
authors: Nitta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009402:Nephrosis, Lipoid / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D011239:Prednisolone