BACKGROUND: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is used as a steroid-sparing agent in pediatric nephrotic syndrome (NS). However, data about its long-term efficacy and safety is limited. METHODS: We report the long-term outcome of MMF therapy in 46 NS patients who remained steroid dependent (SD) despite previous treatment with levamisole and cyclophosphamide. RESULTS: After 1 year of MMF initiation, 32 (70 %) patients had reduced steroid requirement: 12 with decreased threshold dose and 20 were able to stop steroids. At follow-up of mean 3.56 (standard deviation + 1.76) years, 25 (54 %) children required no further alternative immunosuppression (IS), having infrequent or no relapses, of which 14 stopped MMF after a mean 2.4 (standard deviation + 0.9) years; 11 are continuing on MMF for a median of 2.25 years (range 1.33-7.75 years). One patient had a psoriasis flare, and MMF was stopped. No other patient required permanent drug withdrawal due to side effects. The outcome of patients who did not require further alternate IS was significantly better than those who did, with 56 % vs. 10.5 %, respectively, being off regular medications at last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that MMF therapy is safe in the long term and allows >50 % of severe SDNS patients to avoid further toxic IS.
BACKGROUND:Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is used as a steroid-sparing agent in pediatric nephrotic syndrome (NS). However, data about its long-term efficacy and safety is limited. METHODS: We report the long-term outcome of MMF therapy in 46 NSpatients who remained steroid dependent (SD) despite previous treatment with levamisole and cyclophosphamide. RESULTS: After 1 year of MMF initiation, 32 (70 %) patients had reduced steroid requirement: 12 with decreased threshold dose and 20 were able to stop steroids. At follow-up of mean 3.56 (standard deviation + 1.76) years, 25 (54 %) children required no further alternative immunosuppression (IS), having infrequent or no relapses, of which 14 stopped MMF after a mean 2.4 (standard deviation + 0.9) years; 11 are continuing on MMF for a median of 2.25 years (range 1.33-7.75 years). One patient had a psoriasis flare, and MMF was stopped. No other patient required permanent drug withdrawal due to side effects. The outcome of patients who did not require further alternate IS was significantly better than those who did, with 56 % vs. 10.5 %, respectively, being off regular medications at last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that MMF therapy is safe in the long term and allows >50 % of severe SDNSpatients to avoid further toxic IS.
Authors: Debbie S Gipson; Susan F Massengill; Lynne Yao; Shashi Nagaraj; William E Smoyer; John D Mahan; Delbert Wigfall; Paul Miles; Leslie Powell; Jen-Jar Lin; Howard Trachtman; Larry A Greenbaum Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2009-07-27 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: S Fujinaga; Y Ohtomo; D Hirano; N Nishizaki; T Someya; Y Ohtsuka; K Kaneko; T Shimizu Journal: Clin Nephrol Date: 2009-10 Impact factor: 0.975
Authors: Rasmus Ehren; Marcus R Benz; Paul T Brinkkötter; Jörg Dötsch; Wolfgang R Eberl; Jutta Gellermann; Peter F Hoyer; Isabelle Jordans; Clemens Kamrath; Markus J Kemper; Kay Latta; Dominik Müller; Jun Oh; Burkhard Tönshoff; Stefanie Weber; Lutz T Weber Journal: Pediatr Nephrol Date: 2021-06-06 Impact factor: 3.714