PLoS ONE (Jan 2018)

Treatment patterns and steroid dose for adult minimal change disease relapses: A retrospective cohort study.

  • Takaya Ozeki,
  • Masahiko Ando,
  • Makoto Yamaguchi,
  • Takayuki Katsuno,
  • Sawako Kato,
  • Yoshinari Yasuda,
  • Naotake Tsuboi,
  • Shoichi Maruyama

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199228
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 6
p. e0199228

Abstract

Read online

BACKGROUND:In patients with adult minimal change disease (MCD), proteinuria relapse is a problem to solve. However, the optimal relapse treatment regimen remains unclear regarding steroid dose. We described the treatment pattern of adult MCD patients and evaluated the appropriate steroid dose for relapse treatment. METHODS:This retrospective multicenter cohort study included 192 patients with adult biopsy-proven MCD from 14 hospitals in Japan. The prescription pattern of immunosuppressive drugs in relapse was reviewed. To assess the association between steroid dose used for relapse and subsequent outcomes, data of patients with tapered prednisolone (PSL) dosage to 20 mg/day) was not associated with favorable outcomes after the first relapse as compared to lower dose (10-20 mg/day).