Risk factors of frequent relapses of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome in children

Abstract

Objective: to identify risk factors of frequent relapses nephrotic syndrome in children to choose an optimal treatment policy. Materials and methods. Sixty-six case histories of children with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome were retrospectively analyzed. We investigated relationship between frequency of relapses and clinical manifestations of the disease, namely: gender; age; duration of steroid therapy; time to achieve remission during steroid therapy; time to develop the first relapse of nephrotic syndrome. Results. The age at the onset of nephrotic syndrome younger than 2 years; therapy with daily oral prednisolone (2 ing/kg/day) less than 4 weeks; the total duration of steroid therapy at the onset of disease less than 3 months; the time to achieve remission after initiation of steroid therapy more than 10 days and the time to develop the first relapse less than 5 months after manifestation of nephrotic syndrome are the risk factors of the frequently relapsing disease. Conclusion. The found risk factors of frequent relapses of nephrotic syndrome in children proves the need for adequate steroid therapy in the onset of disease and indication for appointment steroid-sparing agents at the early date to prevent side effects of prednisolone therapy.