Effects of mycophenolate mofetil and glucocorticoid on Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis in children

Objective To explore the effect and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and glucocorticoid on Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis in children and compared with cyclophosphamide (CTX). Methods The data of 48 patients diagnosed as Henoch-Schonlein purpura by renal biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. Median follow-up time was 22(7, 48) months. The subjects were divided into 2 groups. 34 cases were in the MMF group: MMF (15-20 mg?kg-1?d-1 or 800-1200 mg/m2)+ prednisone, and 14 cases in the CTX group: CTX (8 - 12 mg?kg-1?d-1)+prednisone. Clinical and laboratory data were collected at baseline and 1, 3, 6 months after treatment. During follow - up, cumulative retreatment rate and adverse reactions after treatment were recorded. Results In two groups after treatment for 1, 3, 6 months, 24 hours urinary protein quantitative was significantly lower than the baseline value, serum albumin (sAlb) was significantly higher than the baseline value, and serum creatinine (Scr) indicated no statistically significant difference during the follow-up period. After the treatment of 1 month, the efficient rate of MMF group was higher than the CTX group (MMF 73.5 % vs 42.9%, P=0.046), the effective treatment of 3, 6 months at the end of the follow-up, no statistically significant difference were observed in the accumulative remission rate. The total rate of retreatment was 10.4% (5/48), where MMF group was lower that of the than CTX group (3.0% vs 28.6%, P＜ 0.001). The retreatment often occurred after discontinuation of prednisone and CTX, MMF reduction process. Eleven children received IMPDH2 gene polymorphisms test in MMF group, 9 AA children had shorter time for drugs to be effective than that of the AG and GG children. The incidence of adverse reactions of MMF group was obviously lower than CTX group at the end of the follow-up (8.8% vs 35.7%, P=0.025), where two groups developed fungal infection. Conclusions The short-term effect of both groups are the same, but the recurrent rate and incidence of adverse reactions of MMF group are lower than those of the CTX group. The preliminary study shows that IMPDH2 gene polymorphisms is associated with MMF curative effect and adverse reactions.