European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Corticosteroids have had a central role in the treatment of nephrotic syndrome. The management of these patients who become dependent on steroids is complex, involving different immunosuppressive drugs patterns. The monoclonal antibody anti CD20, Rituximab, is likely to have beneficial effects in cases of steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome patients with no easy resolution, even when we cannot make a statement about the specific role in the impact. We bring our personal experience with pediatric patients treated with this medication during the last years, to provide a thorough overview and useful information about the role of Rituximab in this pathology.
Methods: Retrospective study in patients with steroid-dependent idiopathic nephrotic syndrome controlled in Dept. of Nephrology & renal Transplantation SCBMCH, Cuttack in those patients who had received at least one treatment cycle of Rituximab, at any moment along the evolution of the disease.
Results and Conclusion: In the Rituximab group more patients were 6-10 years old compared to the Control group and this was not statistically significant. The majority of patients were male in the Rituximab group compared to the Control group. This was not statistically significant. A higher proportion of patients had CR 6m in the control group compared to the Rituximab group but this was not statistically significant. The majority of patients who had CR 12m were found in the Rituximab group compared to the control group and this was not statistically significant.Only Rituximab group patients had PR 6m and this was also statistically significant.We observed that only Rituximab Group patients had NR at 12m and another side no patients had NR at 12m in the control group and this also was statistically significant.A higher number of age group patients were located in the control group compared to the Rituximab Group, but this was not statistically significant.More patients who had higher Se Creatinine at 0m were shown in the control group compared to the Rituximab Group this was also not statistically significant