Related Experiment Videos
Corticosteroid therapy-induced obesity in children
Insights
Corticosteroid therapy for nephrotic syndrome can cause obesity in children. Persistent obesity is unlikely in normal-weight children who don't exceed 130% relative weight during treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Nephrology
Background:
- Corticosteroids, like prednisone, are crucial for treating idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in children.
- Obesity is a known side effect of corticosteroid therapy, but its persistence requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the severity and persistence of corticosteroid-induced obesity in children treated for idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.
- To identify risk factors for persistent obesity following long-term prednisone therapy.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 23 children (aged 1-14 years) treated with prednisone for over 60 days.
- Tracking relative weight at therapy initiation, during therapy, and after cessation (at least 6 months post-therapy).
Main Results:
- Peak relative weight increased during therapy (mean 119% vs. 107% at baseline).
- Four children remained obese post-therapy; all had initial relative weight ≥110% and peak relative weight >130%.
- Children with normal initial weight (<110%) and peak relative weight <130% did not experience persistent obesity.
Conclusions:
- Persistent obesity after corticosteroid therapy for nephrotic syndrome is primarily a risk for children with higher initial or peak relative weights.
- The risk of persistent obesity appears small in normal-weight children who maintain relative weights below 130% during treatment.
Abstract:
The severity and persistence of corticosteroid-induced obesity were evaluated retrospectively in 23 children aged 1-14 yrs requiring more than 60 days of therapy with prednisone for idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Mean relative weight (after clearing of proteinuria) at initiation of therapy was 107 +/- 10 percent. Peak relative weight on therapy was 119 +/- 15 percent following a mean total of 31 months of cumulative steroid therapy. The most recent available relative weight in remission at least 6 months following cessation of therapy was 107 +/- 18 percent. The number of children whose relative weight exceeded 120 percent at initiation of, during and following therapy was 3, 10, and 4, respectively. In those with normal initial relative weight (less than 110%) there was no persistent obesity. Two of three initially obese patients (relative weight greater than 120%) remained obese. All patients with persistent obesity following therapy had initial relative weight of at least 110 percent and peak relative weight of more than 130 percent. The risk of persistent obesity as a result of chronic corticosteroid therapy in initially normal weight children who do not exceed 130 percent relative weight during therapy appears to be small.