Mizoribine oral pulse therapy for steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome

Pediatr Nephrol. 2005 Jan;20(1):96-8. doi: 10.1007/s00467-004-1647-1. Epub 2004 Oct 21.

Abstract

There have been reports of the use of mizoribine (MZB) oral pulse therapy for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. We report its efficacy in a 9-year-old girl with steroid- and cyclosporine-dependent nephrotic syndrome (NS). The patient experienced relapses of NS when prednisolone was tapered to 20 mg/day after discontinuing cyclosporine due to biopsy proven toxicity. When methylprednisolone pulse therapy combined with prednisolone therapy (40 mg/day) failed to result in a complete remission after 3 weeks, oral MZB pulse therapy (total dose of 500 mg, 10 mg/kg per day in three divided daily doses twice a week) was given. This therapy was continued for 9 months and resulted in complete remission of the NS for 6 months despite the discontinuation of prednisolone. The serum concentration of MZB was above 2.5 microg/ml for about 10 h (from 3 h after the first dose of MZB to 2 h after the final dose). Thus, our results suggest that this regimen may be effective for patients with steroid-dependent NS.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Nephrotic Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Pulse Therapy, Drug
  • Ribonucleosides / administration & dosage*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Ribonucleosides
  • mizoribine