Karunamoorthy S, Thanigachalam D, Jeyachandran D, Ramanathan S, Natarajan G, Thoppalan B. The safety and efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil in children and adolescents with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome: a single-centre study.
Clin Kidney J 2020;
13:179-183. [PMID:
32296522 PMCID:
PMC7147304 DOI:
10.1093/ckj/sfz061]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) patients experience frequent relapse or adverse effects on long-term treatment with steroids or cyclophosphamide. This study assessed the efficacy and side effect profile of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) therapy in children with nephrotic syndrome in our population.
Methods
A retrospective study was performed on children with SDNS who were on MMF therapy for a minimum period of 1 year, and were on regular follow-up in the Department of Nephrology at the Institute of Child Health and hospital for children attached to Madras Medical College.
Results
The study included 87 patients, with a male:female ratio of 2:1. The median age at diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome was 3 years [95% confidence interval (CI): 1–8 years], which was found to be a statistically significant risk factor for MMF failure. The median duration of follow-up after initiation of MMF therapy was 3 years and 3 months (95% CI: 1 year and 3 months to 6 years and 6 months). At initial evaluation, 31 (36%) patients presented with SDNS while the remaining had frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome progressing to SDNS. Intravenous cyclophosphamide was used as first-line therapy in 82 patients, of whom 24 patients had persistent proteinuria while the remaining 58 had attained remission for a median duration of 6 months. The median duration of treatment with MMF was 2 years and 6 months (95% CI: 1 year and 3 months to 4 years and 6 months). MMF was used at a mean dose of 28.5 mg/kg. Seventy-two (83%) patients were MMF-sensitive, and these patients had a reduction in mean prednisolone dose from 1.28 to 0.35 mg/kg (P < 0.05). Among the MMF-sensitive patients, 31 had stopped MMF after a minimum period of 2 years, following which they had a median remission period of 5 months (95% CI: 1–8 months). MMF failure occurred in 15 (17%) patients. Adverse events were documented in 19 (22%) patients.
Conclusions
Continuous MMF therapy achieved remission in 83% of patients. MMF was well tolerated in the study population and discontinuation of MMF resulted in 100% relapse.
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