Period of freedom from relapse as an indication of cure in minimal change nephrotic syndrome in adults.

17 adult-onset nephrotic patients with minimal-change glomerular lesions experienced 39 relapses in all. The relationship between the remission period t (expressed in months) preceding each relapse and the rate of relapse (relapse rate) F (t) was proven to correspond closely to Weibull's distribution function as follows (chi 2 = 1.72, 0.5 less than p less than 0.75): In In (formula - see text) From the equation, the time when 99% of relapsing patients have relapsed is 39.3 months. This means that adult-relapsing nephrotic patients with minimal-change lesions will experience a relapse within 39.3 months of remission. They should be free from relapse and considered cured with a 99% reliability when remission has continued longer than 39.3 months, i.e. beyond the 'period of freedom from relapse'.