[New approaches to the treatment of nephritis]

The paper provides evidence and results of using new therapeutical treatment of glomerulonephritis, such as pulse-therapy with cyclophosphane, therapy with angiotension-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or that with antihyperlipidemic agents. Based on much experience with pulse-therapy with cyclophosphane (over 100 patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) and lupus nephritis), it is concluded that this method is highly effective. Treating 57 patients with ACE inhibitors has shown that in CGN these drugs should be used only when taking into account their antihypertensive effect and capacity of lowering intraglomerular hypertension, as evidenced by the renal functional reserve, and diminishing proteinuria. The long-term (7-12 month) antihyperlipidemic therapy (diet and lovastatin) in 20 patients with CGN accompanied by the nephrotic syndrome caused a significant reduction in the concentration of serum cholesterol and proteinuria, a significant increase in serum albumin levels; remission of the nephrotic syndrome occurred in 9 patients; but better effects were observed in non-inflammatory nephropathies, such as membranous nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and nephrosclerosis.