Cyclophosphamide in treatment of minimal change nephrotic syndrome

Nineteen children with the minimal change form of nephrotic syndrome were divided according to their pattern of response to prednisone: steroid-dependent and frequent relapsers. All patients received cyclophosphamide for 56 days in a single daily dose of 2.5 mg/kg (total 140 mg/kg), in order to prolong the length of remission. The percentage of patients who continued in remission at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 5th years was greater in the frequent-relapser group. This retrospective analysis confirms that the pattern of response to prednisone may be an important criterion for the selection of patients who will benefit from cyclophosphamide therapy.