Treatment of nephrotic syndrome with levamisole.

Considerable evidence suggests a role of abnormal T-cell lymphocyte functions in the pathogenesis of minimal lesion nephrotic syndrome. The mean +/- SD T-cell lymphocytes as determined by %E-rosettes among 10 children after 24 to 84 months of complete remission was 66.7 +/- 4.5; this is statistically different from that of seven children with minimal lesion nephrotic syndrome during relapse, 33.5 +/- 9.5 (P less than 0.01). After levamisole therapy at 1.5 to 3.9 mg/kg/dose twice weekly for one to six months, the mean +/- SD %E-rosettes in the latter group was 69.3 +/- 3.9, which is not statistically different from that in the group with complete remission after conventional treatment with steroids. Those treated with levamisole also had a complete remission without any side effects.