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Medicina (Buenos Aires)

Print version ISSN 0025-7680On-line version ISSN 1669-9106

Abstract

TRIMARCHI, Hernán et al. Dual renin-angiotensin system blockade plus oral methylprednisone for the treatment of proteinuria in IgA nephropathy. Medicina (B. Aires) [online]. 2007, vol.67, n.5, pp.445-450. ISSN 0025-7680.

Renin-angiotensin system inhibition is a widely accepted approach to initially deal with proteinuria in IgA nephropathy, while the role of immunosuppressants remains controversial in many instances. A prospective, uncontrolled, open-label trial was undertaken in patients with biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy with proteinuria > 0.5 g/day and normal renal function to assess the efficacy of a combination treatment of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors plus angiotensin receptor blockers enalapril valsartan coupled with methylprednisone to decrease proteinuria to levels below 0.5 g/day. Twenty patients were included: Age 37.45 ± 13.26 years (50% male); 7 patients (35%) were hypertensive; proteinuria 2.2 ± 1.86 g/day; serum creatinine 1.07 ± 0.29 mg/dl; mean follow-up 60.10 ± 31.47 months. IgA nephropathy was subclassified according to Haas criteria. Twelve patients (60%) were class II; seven (35%) were class III and one (5%) class V. All patients received dual reninangiotensin system blockade as tolerated. Oral methylprednisone was started at 0.5 mg/kg/day for the initial 8 weeks and subsequently tapered bi-weekly until the maintenance dose of 4 mg was reached. Oral steroids were discontinued after 24 weeks (6 months) of therapy but renin-angiotensin inhibition remained unchanged. At 10 weeks of therapy proteinuria decreased to 0.15 ± 0.07 g/day (P < 0.001) while serum creatinine did not vary: 1.07 ± 0.28 mg/dl (P=ns). After a mean follow-up of 42.36 ± 21.56 months urinary protein excretion (0.12 ± 0.06 g/day) and renal function (serum creatinine 1.06 ± 0.27 mg/dl) remained stable. No major side effects were reported during the study. Renin-angiotensin blockade plus oral steroids proved useful to significantly decrease proteinuria to < 0.5 g/day in patients with IgA nephropathy without changes in renal function.

Keywords : IgA nephropathy; Corticosteroids; Renin-angiotensin system; Enalapril; Valsartan; Proteinuria; Glomerulonephritis.

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