Normal growth of prepubertal nephrotic children during long-term treatment with repeated courses of prednisone.

The growth of 21 prepubertal children with steroid-dependent frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome was studied before and during treatment with repeated courses of oral prednisone for 4 y. The height and height velocity standard deviation scores (HSDS and HVSDS) of the nephrotic children were -0.11 and -0.06, respectively, at the onset of the disease and -0.12 and +0.05, +0.14 and +1.02, +0.21 and +0.78 and +0.17 and +0.66, respectively, thereafter yearly during the treatment. The mean yearly cumulative dose of prednisone was 6300, 3459, 2677 and 2081 mg/body area (m2) at the first, second, third and fourth year, respectively. The nephrotic children grew normally for their age before onset of the disease and growth remained normal despite prednisone treatment.