EFFICACY AND SIDE-EFFECTS OF CYCLOSPORINE-A IN NEPHROTIC SYNDROME OF CHILDHOOD

The efficacy and side effects of the oral administration of cyclospori n A (Cyc-A) were investigated in 13 children with the nephrotic syndro me. Two of these children were steroid-dependent, 9 were resistant to steroids, and 2 displayed frequent relapses. The diagnosis of 6 patien ts was mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (MezPGN), of another 6 mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis, and of 1 minimal change dis ease. Cyc-A was administered for 6 months at a dosage of 7 mg/kg/day w ith continual monitoring of the serum levels. At the end of the treatm ent period, 7 of the patients (53.8 %) had a total remission, 5 (38.4% ) a partial remission, and 1 (7.8%) did not respond to treatment. Whil e total remission was achieved in 4 patients who had responded well to steroids, this was true for only 3 (33.3%) of the 9 patients who had not benefited from steroids. The effects and side effects of Cyc-A on histopathological morphology were also investigated by means of posttr eatment biopsies. While histopathological improvement was seen in 3 pa tients with MezPGN, there was evidence of deterioration in 1 patient w ith MLH.