Long-term outcome of Japanese children with complicated minimal change nephrotic syndrome treated with mycophenolate mofetil after cyclosporine.

backgroundAlthough recent studies have shown that more than half of children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) may continue to have active disease beyond childhood, the long-term outcome in this cohort treated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) after cyclosporine remains unknown, particularly in adulthood.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective study of 44 adult patients (median age, 22.3 years) who received MMF for complicated SDNS (median age at MMF initiation, 13.3 years) at a single center. Complicated SDNS was defined as the case continuing to relapse after cyclosporine (CsA) treatment. When patients experienced relapses despite MMF initiation, they additionally received a rituximab infusion. The primary endpoint was the probability of achieving treatment-free remission for > 2 years.

resultsPrior to MMF initiation, all patients received CsA for a median of 46 months and 19 received the 12-week cyclophosphamide. After switching from CsA to MMF, only four patients did not relapse during a median follow-up period of 9.6 years. At the last visit, only 15 of the 44 patients achieved treatment-free sustained remission. Multivariate analysis revealed that young age (< 6 years) at onset of nephrotic syndrome (odds ratio, 11.3) and the experience of steroid dependency during initial CsA treatment (odds ratio, 29.8) were the independent risk factors of active disease into adulthood after MMF initiation.

conclusionsAlthough none developed renal insufficiency and severe adverse effects of therapy, the introduction of MMF after CsA treatment may not be necessarily associated with improved long-term outcome of children with complicated SDNS.