Early Treatment with Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy Combined with Tonsillectomy for Heavy Proteinuric Henoch-Schönlein Purpura Nephritis in Children

• Main Authors: Hiroaki Kanai, Emi Sawanobori, Anna Kobayashi, Kyoko Matsushita, Kanji Sugita, Kosuke Higashida
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Karger Publishers 2011-10-01
• Series: Nephron Extra
• Subjects: Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis; IgA; Methylprednisolone pulse therapy; Proteinuria; Tonsillectomy
• Online Access: http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/333010

Background: There is no clear consensus as to which patients with Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) at risk of a poor outcome should be treated and what therapeutic regimen should be used. Methods: Nine children with heavy proteinuric HSPN received prompt initiation of methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPT) combined with tonsillectomy in a prospective study. Results: At presentation, the mean values for the patients’ urine protein excretion (early-morning urinary protein/creatinine ratio), serum IgA, activity index (AI), and chronicity index (CI) were 5.0 ± 5.6 g/g Cr, 135.6 ± 56.5 mg/dl, 4.0 ± 0.7, and 1.7 ± 1.3, respectively. At the second biopsy, conducted approximately 24 months after initiation of therapy, the patients’ serum albumin had significantly increased (4.4 ± 0.2, p Conclusions: Early treatment with MPT combined with tonsillectomy is effective in ameliorating the histopathological progression and improving the clinical course of children with heavy proteinuric HSPN.