Childhood membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type I: Limited steroid therapy

Abstract

Childhood membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type I: Limited steroid therapy. Nineteen patients with biopsy proven membranopro liferative glomerulonephritis type I (MPGN I) and a minimum of three years of follow-up (mean 6.5 ± 0.7 years) have been treated with an uncontrolled regimen of limited corticosteroids . Initial therapy ranged from 20 mg per os (po) every other day to 30 mg/kg/day i.v. for three consecutive days, depending on clinical disease severity. Therapy was then decreased based on each patient's improving clinical status. At diagnosis creatinine clearance (Ccr) was < 80 ml/min/l .73 m2 in 12 patients and < 50 in 2. All patients had hematuria and proteinuria, with 15 in the nephrotic range. Hypertension, present at diagnosis in 13, developed in five others following institution of prednisone, and was controlled medically. Renal biopsy was repeated after two years of therapy prior to cessation of treatment (mean total treatment duration 38 ± 3 months). Follow-up biopsy revealed decreased glomerular inflamn activity in 88% of patients. All patients have now been off prednisone for 40 ± 9 months. The mean CCr is 126 ± 5 ml/min/l.73 m2. Eight patients have normal urinalyses. These data suggest that early therapy with a limited course of corticosteroids, and control of associ ated hypertension, may forestall progressive renal insufficiency in children with MPGN type I