Tehran University Medical Journal

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Pulmonary artery pressure can be estimated from right ventricular-right atrial pressure gradient in patients with tricuspid regurgitation. The most common approach is to estimate pulmonary artery systolic pressure from right ventricular pressure (assuming no pulmonic stenosis) determined as the sum of the right ventricular-right atrial pressure gradient and either an assumed or clinically determined right atrial pressure. But in this study, that was done on 62 patients in 1996 in Imam Khomeini hospital, we demonstrated that it was not needed to add an assumed right atrial pressure to right ventricular-right atrial pressure gradient. We also demonstrated that pulmonary artery pressure estimated in this study, bears a direct relationship to systolic pulmonary artery pressure derived in right heart catheterization (r=0.98, standard error of estimulation)

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In this study we have selected in a simple random sampling, 391 diabetic women, among diabetic patients, who were attending to center of diabetes control in Yazd city in 1993. The patients were investigated in view of: Average of (age of marriage, number of marriage, age of the first pregnancy, number of pregnancies, the last fasting blood sugar), frequency and average of (early labours, alive borns, reminder alive borns, anomalous borns, history of abortions), and frequency of (diabetes in previous and next offspring, 15-49 years old women, the most common method of pregnancy prevention), and consideration of pregnant women situation. There were among under investigation patients, individuals who had more than 5 marriages, 25 pregnancies, 15 alive children, ten >4 Kgr born newborns, history of 14 times of abortions, and even 11 anormalous infants. The disease in every generation was common in females, and average of the last fasting blood suger in patients with >6 pregnancies was significantly more than patients with <6 pregnancies (P=0.0004). Finally, our principal purposes in this study were: Correct screening of pregnant women in view of diabetes mellitus, urgent follow up of the patients specially present patients, and more emphasis on specifc education about diabetes mellitus.

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In order to evaluate the role of idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH) in causing hematuria, nephrolithiasis and recurrent urinary tract infections we studied two groups of children for idiopathic hypercalciuria. 1) Patients group: children with hematuria, nephrolithiasis and recurrent urinary tract infections (n=452). 2) Control group: children with no urinary tract problem (n=100). In control group 3% of children had IH. In patients group 27.5% of patients with hematuria, 37% of patients with nephrolithiasis and 7.9% of patients with recurrent urinary tract infections had IH, P values=0.001, 0.005 and 0.2, respectively. This study confirms that there is a positive association between IH and hematuria or nephrolithiasis, but there is no significant association between recurrent urinary tract infections and IH

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Some factors such as: aging, obesity, hypoactivity, stress, urbanization, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, multiple pregnancies, smoking and so forth, are important factors that are always argued whether in disease production or in increasing morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. In a descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study, we looked for some important risk factors in 780 diabetic patients in Yazd city. The main objective in this study was to identifying the at risk cases. In this study, 54% of understudied patients were obese, 52.3% hypoactive, 80.7% urbanized, 21.5% smokers and approximately 11% were continiously or occasional alcohol users. 85% of all patients had no habit to sport, and the mean of their last fast blood sugar was significantly upper than those who had continiously physical exercises (P=0.01). Majority of understudied women (65.3%) had experienced 6 or more pregnancies during their life, and the last mean blood sugar in these patients was significantly upper than those with <6 pregnancies (P=0.0004). The age of majority of patients in either males or females was 50-70 years, and duration of disease in majority of them was <10 years. Increasing of the last mean blood sugar was significantly compatible with increasing of disease duration (P=0.00003). Regardless the type of diabetes, the disease in every generation was more frequent in female gender and totally, the mean of last fast blood sugar in the patients was 216 mg/dl which is not a controlled sugar. We have suggested the mean of last fast blood sugar in all of the referal cases as a performance indicator during evaluation of center of diabetic patients control

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Between 1990-97 two hundered children referred to our department with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) for renal replacement therapy. The ages of these children were 1-14 years (mean 8.14). There was no significant difference in incidence of ESRD between two sexes. We evaluated these children for the causes of ESRD. The most common causes were: Pylonephritis and congenital anomalies of urinary tract (35.5%), glomerular diseases (22.5%) and hereditary kidney diseases (13.5%).

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To examine the relation between oral contraceptive (OCPs) use, body mass index, parity, familial history of gallstone disease, history of diabetes, history of hyperlipidemia and gallstone disease in women, we have undertaken a case-control study. The study population comparison 80 hospital patients with diagnosed acute gallstone disease as case group and 200 controls who were patients in hospital with no history of gallstone disease. The data were analyzed by Chi-square and T-student test. The results revealed that: The use of OCPs in case group is higher than that of control group. But there is no significant difference between them. No relation was found between gallstone disease and body mass index, parity, history of diabetes, familial history of gallstone disease, use of OCPs of different types and duration of use. While there was a significant difference between the 2 groups regarding history of hyperlipidemia (P<0.05). Finally we found no correlation between the history of use, types and duration of use of OCPs and symptomatic gallstone disease. There was no indication of any interaction between oral contraceptive use and other risk factors and duration of OCP use and other risk factors in the production of disease.

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Background: Cyclosporin A (CsA) is now commonly used in the management of children with steroid-dependent and steroid resistant nephoitic syndrome. It has been reported to be effective in maintaining remission in 70-100 percent of patients with SDNS but somewhat SRNS 0-100 percent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of long-term (CsA) in children with refractory nephrotic syndrome (RNS) and steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS).

Materials and Methods: The long-term effect of (CsA) in 91 Iranian children aged 3 months to 11 years (54 with RNS and 37 with SDNS) was assessed between 1984 and 1999. Eighty of 91 children received renal biopsy prior to introduction of (CsA), and the other 11 patients had not consent for kidney biopsy. If the patients did not show remission aftre receiving 3-6 months of (CsA), the medication was discontinued.

Results: All patient were treated with (CsA) in combination with low dose alternate day prednisolone. In children with RNS and SDNS, therapy with (CsA) induced, remission in 25 of 54 (46.2 percent) and 27 of 37 (73 percent) respectively (P<0.02). Of the 32 patients with minimal change disease (MCD), 23 (72 percent) responded to therapy, compared with 4 of 18 (22 percent) with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (P<0.005). Twenty-four (48 percent) of 50 who entered complete remission, had relapse 1-12 months after cessation of (CsA). The duration between the onset of nephrotic syndrome (NS) and administration of (CsA) and sexuality of patients had no effect in result of treatment. Side effects occurred in 25 patients (27.4 percent). No patients exhibited raised transaminases, 8 (8.7 percent) of the children developed hirsutism, 7 (7.6 percent) hypertension, 7 (7.6 percent) gingival hyperplasia, (2.2 percent) neurological toxicity and 1 (1 percent) increase in serum creatinine.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that (CsA) can be used to induce a complete remission in a significant proportion of patients with RNS and SDNS, and patients with SDNS have areasonable potential for remission than children with RNS. Resistant to steroid and cyclophosphamid.

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Background: Food allergy is one of the most important among other allergic diseases. Although it is less prevalent in adult but in infants it’s prevalence was reported as much as 8 percent. In part, wheat is one of the six main food allergens in infant and in other part there is extensive cross reactivity between the cereals. Therefore the aim of this study is selection of the best food substitute for wheat among other cereals. Materials and Methods: 24 patients with definitive diagnosis of type one hypersensitivity reaction to wheat were entered in this study. Skin prick test and serum specific IgE (Eliza) with 6 members of cereals family (wheat, barley, oat, Rye-Rice & Corn) were performed for them and open food challenge test was also done with three more available of the cereals (corn, Rice, barley) in our food culture and so comparison between allergenicity of wheat flour and wheat bran with skin prick test were done.

Results: The Skin prick tests (SPTs) were positive in 66.7 percent for Barley, 100 percent for wheat bran and 80-100 percent for other cereals. The results of specific IgE for wheat, Barley were positive in 94.5 percent, 68 percent, 39 percent of patients respectively and the results for other cereals were positive in less than 11 percent of cases. The results of food challenge test, for barley were positive in 60 percent of cases and for Rice and Corn were negative in all cases.

Conclusion: In the base of food challenge test as the gold standard test, the best food substitute for wheat sensitive patient between other cereals, were Corn and Rice respectively. It is important to emphasis that will be needed to perform oral food challenge in hospital with complete emergency equipment before introducing any other cereals as food substitute for wheat, specially Barley.

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Background: Cuffed pharyngeal tube is a device designed for ventilation of anesthetized patients. CPT has advantages over face mask including: maintaining of face mask can be difficult and boring after several minutes and mobility of the practitioner is reduced due to involvement of hands. Mask pressure can cause soft tissue and nerve damage around the nose. Anesthetic gas leakage from the mask adds to the operation room pollution. In difficult intubation CPT can be life-saving.

Materials and Methods: In our study CPT was compared with endotracheal tube (ET) in anesthetized patients. A scoring system for evaluating ventilation of patients was designed using symmetric chest wall motion during ventilation with anesthesia bag and sensing lung compliance through it, auscultation of breathing sounds, oscilation of bag with breathing and peripheral oxygen saturation by pulse oxymetry. Respiratory complications (pulmonary aspiration, Iaryngospasm and bronchospasm, nausea and vomiting) were looked for during anesthesia.

Results: The results showed that CPT was successful as ET in ventilation of spontaneously breathing patients and incidence of respiratory complications with CPT was no more than ET. Airway resistance was significantly greater with CPT than ET (P<0.05). Patients with ET had significantly greater incidence of sore throat than with CPT (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Thus we concluded that CPT can be used for ventilation of anesthetized patients not predisposed to pulmonary aspiration and whose peak airway pressure does not exceed 20-25 CmH2O.

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Radioiodine therapy is the safest, simplest, least expensive and most effective method for treatment of Graves' disease. Due to difficulties in previous methods for dose determination, fixed dose method of 1-131 is now considered the best practical method for 1-131 therapy in Graves' disease, but there is no consensus on the dose. We compared two routinely recommended fixed doses of 5 and 10 mCi for this purpose.
Materials and Methods In this clinical trial, 59 patients with Graves' disease referred for radioiodine therapy were randomized into two groups, one group was treated with 5 mCi of 1-131 and the other with 10 mCi. All patients were followed for two years, with 6-month intervals.
Results: Totally, among 59 patients treated with 1-131, 20 (33.9%) patients became euthyroid and 19(32.2%) became hypothyroid, while failed therapy (no response or relapse) was noticed in 20 patients (33.9%). In the group treated by 5 mCi (33 patients), 10(30.3%) were euthyroid, 6(18.2%) were hypothyroid (overall cure of ^8.5%), while 17(51.5%) remained hyperthyroid by the end of the follow-up period. From the 26 patients treated with 10 mCi, the euthyroid and hypothyroid states were observed in 10(38.5%) and 13(50%)patients, respectively (overall cure rate of 88.5%), and hyperthyroid state in 3(11.5%). No relationship was noted between the outcome and age, sex, size of the thyroid gland and thyroid uptake, but the relationship between the disease outcome and the amount of administered radioiodine was significant (P<0.003). Although the incidence rate of early hypothyroidism (by the end of 2 years) in the group treated with 5 mCi is less than those treated with 10 mCi, the incidence of failed therapy is higher in the former group. In addition, it is known that long-term hypothyroidism prevalence is not significantly different by using different doses of I-131. On the other hand, if the initial dose is so little to cure, cost and time for perfect treatment, number of office visits and morbidity due to untreated hyperthyroidism are markedly increased.
Conclusion: Regarding lower rate of failed therapy with 10 mCi, and as there is no significant difference in late hypothyroidism between low doses and high doses of I-131, we concluded that 10 mci is the optimal fixed dose for treatment of Graves' disease.

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Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of treatment with radioactive iodine on the function of gonads in males and females with follicular and papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Materials and Methods: Consenting patients in the reproductive age were grouped according to the cumulative dose of received radioiodine and followed for at least 12 months. For all men, serum levels of FSH, LH, and testosterone were measured some (53 cases) were also studied by semen analysis. For women, tests for serum levels of LH, FSH, estrogen, and progesterone were performed.

Results: Overall, 246 patients (159 females, 87 males) were studied. In 87.4% of men, there was an increase in serum FSH level after radioiodine therapy, in 20.7% of whom the level remained high during follow-up period. The average serum level of FSH after each course of treatment was significantly higher than the level before treatment (p<0.01), and there was a meaningful correlation with the cumulative dose of received iodine (p<0.001). Reduced number of sperms was shown in 35.8% of male patients, among whom 73.7% also showed reduced motility. In 36.8% of the patients with reduced sperm number (13.2% of the total), this finding was persistent during the follow-up period. Increased level of FSH was correlated with reduced sperm counts in all doses (p 

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Background: GDM (Gestational Diabetes Mellitus) is the most important medical complication in pregnancy. Its prevalence is about 1-14 percent. It is necessary to follow up patient with GDM in order to detect any Glucose intolerance and improve their long term outcome. The aim of this research is to find the relationship between GDM and metabolic disorder (such as glucose intolerance. Lipoprotein profile disorder and androgen disorder), which are known as cardiovascular risk factors. Improvement of these agents is achieved by changing the life style.

Materials and Methods: In this study 107 patients with recent GDM were assessed 6 months after delivery. Fasting Glucose, glucose intolerance, lipid profile, and androgens were measured. Clinical and obstetrical history based on GDM recurrence, history of macrosomia, amount of insulin to control blood sugar, breastfeeding and contraception after delivery, menstrual changing, hirsutism status were assessed and analyzed statistically. (ANOVA, x2, Fisher test)

Results: The result of this study shows 19.6 percent diabetes and 15.9 percent impaired glucose tolerance test that point out significant relationship between the recurrence of GDM, obesity, macrosomia, as well as the need of more insulin in pregnancy with prevalence of Diabetes after delivery. In patents with Diabetes and IGT comparing to normal group, lipid profile disorders such as high total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride and low level of HDL cholesterol were seen. There was a significant relationship between diabetes after delivery and high prevalence of hypertension.

Conclusion: Considering the high prevalence of diabetes in patients with gestational diabetes and interfering of some cardiovascular risk factors. We suggest correct follow up planning of patients with GDM by health care provider after discharge, and appropriate training of biomedical personals in this field.

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Background: CBD stones are the commonest cause of obstructive jaundice and cholangitis and in elderly patients with major underlying disease has a high incidence of mortality.

Materials and Methods: In this study, we overviewed 200 patients with CBD stones which treated with cholecystectomy and Endoscopic sphinctrotomy or cholecystectomy and open CBD Exploration, and compare them for surgery complication, treatment failure and hospitalization complications.

Results: We found that these two groups were equal for surgery complication and morbidity. But in patients with Endoscopic sphinctrotomy they had added complication of this procedure. Failure in stone removal both immediately after procedure and in final assessment and costs was considerably higher in the patients that were treated with Endoscopic sphinctrotomy.

Conclusion: These results do not support preoperative Endoscopic sphinctrotomy as a technique for stone removal on the basis of efficacy, morbidity rate and cost. But overall conclusion about comparison of two methods is dependant to other studies about long term morbidity and other factors that affect results.

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Background: Chronic renal failure defines as progressive and irreversible dysfunction of kidneys that could eventually terminated to end stage renal disease (GFR< 10% NL). Because of therapeutic problem and high mortality and morbidity and it &aposs implication quality of life , ESRD is one of the important dilemma of pediatric medicine .

Materials and Methods: In our study 216 patients evaluated .

Results: Male to female ratio was 1.1 . The peak of the presenting age of ESRD was 10 years old (8-12 y). Congenital urological malformation (30%) , glomerulopathies (20%) , hereditary nephropathies (14.3%) , multisystem diseases (7%) and nephrolithiasis (6.2%) are the most common etiologies of ESRD . VUR in 21% and congenital obstructive disease in 8.5% are the etiology of ESRD. In patients with age five years old and lesser common causes of ESRD are congenital urologic malformation and glomerulopathies. In other age groups , urologic malformation is the most common cause of ESRD. In etiologic assessment of two separate 7 years interval , (1988-1993) and (1996-2003) , there was not any significant change in frequency of etiologies but frequency of congenital obstructive uropathy decreased from 10 % to 5.7%. Total amount of VUR (VUR ± Neuropathic bladder) has not any change but frequency of primary reflux nephropathy decreased from 14.2% to 8%. In this study , in 145 patients hemodialysis continued and 28 cases had unsuccessful renal transplant (13.8%) . 7.4 % of patients had successful renal replacement therapy (RRT) and mortality rate was 7.4% . B

Conclusion: Based on that the most common cause of ESRD is all ages in congenital urologic malformations , early diagnosis and appropriate management of these cases are effective in decreasing incidence of ESRD and with respect to few cases of renal transplant and unsuccessful results in 65% of RRT , the approach of this problem should be revised.

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Background: It has been shown that five deficits of the proprioceptive system and poor motor skills are associated with chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, the exact mechanism is unknown. The objectives of this study were to assess the dynamic postural balance behavior of CLBP patients, as well as the effects of a specific exercise therapy for the treatment of CLBP and related postural imbalances.
Methods: Sixteen females with CLBP and 30 healthy females all between 20 and 40 years of age, of similar height and weight, voluntarily participated in this study. Patients underwent a three-month therapeutic exercise program. The disability and back pain of the patients were measured using the Oswestry and Quebec questionnaires, respectively. A dynamic stability platform system (Biodex) was used to evaluate the postural imbalances in both groups. All measurements of the experimental group were repeated after the therapy.
Results: Overall deviation of center of gravity (COG) from COBOS in patients and controls were 3 (±0.3) and 1.3 (±0.2), respectively. Thus, postural imbalances were 2.3 times greater in the patients than those of the controls. After the treatment, the disability and pain of the patients were diminished by 53% and 58%, respectively. Furthermore, with the improvement of the patients COG deviation, both groups had similar posture.
Conclusions: The postural orientation of CLBP patients was significantly improved by the therapeutic exercise program. The applied exercise therapy significantly reduced both the pain and the disability of the patients. Based on these conclusions, we recommend that postural correction be included in regular therapeutic exercise programs.

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Background: Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the treatment of choice for many patients with malignant and nonmalignant diseases. Long-term complications such as osteoporosis should be considered, because it is directly associated with the morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to assess the bone mineral density after allogenic or autologous bone marrow transplantation in patients with leukemia or lymphoma.
Methods: We prospectively investigated 63 patients undergoing BMT for acute and chronic leukemia and lymphoma. At the end of the study, a total of 28 patients were assessed. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured prior BMT, and 6 and 12 months after BMT. Osteocalcin, bone alkaline phosphatase and C-terminal telopeptides of type 1 collagen (ICTP) were assessed. Serum concentration of calcium, phosphorous, vitamin D, PTH and sex hormones (FSH, LH, testosterone and estradiol) were also measured.
Results: There was a significant decrease in the bone mineral density of the femoral neck six months after BMT (p<0.001), 1.01±0.13g/cm² prior to BMT and 0.96±0.13 g/cm² at six months, but no considerable changes were seen in lumbar vertebrae. Bone loss between the 6th and 12th months was not observed. The levels of ICTP and phosphorus increased significantly by the 12th month (p=0.04). The level of calcium was higher at the 6th month (p=0.002) but the level of vitamin D and PTH decreased by the end of the study (p=0.04 and p=0.01, respectively) and the average of osteocalcin did not increase significantly. In women, the level of estradiol decreased by the 6th month (p=0.01), but the testosterone changes were not significant.
Conclusion: The risk of bone loss in both allogeneic and autologous BMT is higher in the femoral neck than the lumbar vertebrae, occurring mainly in the first six months after BMT. Preventive and clinical procedures should be considered.

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Background: Impairment in the function of the lower urinary tract can be the cause of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) and vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) in children. The purpose of our research was to evaluate the frequency of occurrence of bladder instability in children with UTI.

Methods: The research involved 133 children (11 boys, 122 girls), ranging in age from seven months to 14 years. Group A consisted of 78 children with a history of recurrent UTI, while Group B included 55 children with recurrent UTI and VUR. Urodynamic tests (cystometry) were performed on all the children.

Results: Abnormal functioning of the lower urinary tract was found in 98 children (73.1%) from Group A and 41 children (78.8%) from Group B. The most common dysfunction was detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia (DSD), which was found in 54% of all subjects, 46.2% of patients in Group A and 60% of patients in Group B (p<0.05). Unstable bladder was found in 42 (33%) children with no significant difference between the two groups. In 17 children (12.6%) DSD was accompanied by bladder instability. In both groups about 20% of the children did not present with symptoms indicative of urination dysfunction, where as 80% reported various symptoms, of which the most common were constipation and urinary urgency. In half of the children from Group A and one-fourth of the children from Group B there were several co-occurring symptoms: frequency, urgency, intermittent voiding, incontinence, dribbling and retention, and constipation.

Conclusions: The most common disturbance of lower urinary tract function in these children with recurrent UTI was DSD, which occurred more often in children with VUR.

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Background: Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of drug eluting stents (DES) in selected groups of patients with less complicated diabetes. We conducted this study to determine how an unselected group of diabetic patients in Iran fare following DES implantation.

Methods: Data were collected on 147 consecutive diabetic patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the implantation of at least one DES at the Tehran Heart Center from June 2003 to September 2005. Clinical follow-up was performed by timely scheduled visits at one, four and nine months following DES implantation. Nine months of follow-up was completed for 94.5% of the patients. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which include cardiac death, myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization (TVR). In-hospital complications were the secondary endpoint.

Results: A total of 158 coronary artery lesions were treated with DES in 147 diabetic patients (mean age = 56.4±8.92 years, 57.1% were men). During the nine-month follow-up, MACE occurred in 3.4% of patients, with a myocardial infarction rate of 1.4% and TVR rate of 1.4%. Considering one patient who underwent TVR due to acute stent thrombosis following angioplasty (during hospitalization) the total number of TVR reached 3 (2%). Only one patient (0.7%) died of cardiac death, which occurred after the procedure and before discharge. In-hospital complications occurred in six patients (4.1%) five patients suffered from myocardial infarction.

Conclusions: PCI with DES seems to be safe and effective in diabetic patients. However, more studies with larger study populations and longer follow-up are required to confirm this issue.

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Background: Nephrotic syndrome is one of the most remarkable diseases in childhood. The majority of patients have prompt response to corticosteroids.

Methods: In this study, we retrospectively evaluate the outcome of patients with steroid-responsive nephritic syndrome. Medical records from January 1996 to September 2006 were reviewed to identify all children with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome at the Pediatric Medical Center, Tehran, Iran. Initial steroid therapy was 60 mg/m² per day for four weeks. Levamisole, a steroid-sparing agent, was prescribed at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg on alternate days in conjunction with alternate-day prednisolone. If no benefit was observed by three months, levamisole was discontinued and immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide at a dose of 3 mg/kg daily for 8 weeks, or cyclosporin A at a dose of 3-5 mg/kg was prescribed.  

Result: Of 745 children with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome, 63.1% of patients were male. The most common causes were minimal change disease (98/324, 30.2%) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (81/324, 25%). At presentation, microscopic hematuria was found in 22.6% of the patients. During follow-up, 9.2% had no relapse at any time, while 15.8% were frequent relapsers. The remission period ranged from 3.5 to 168 months. At the last follow-up, 57.6% of the patients were in remission, 37.7% relapsed and 29 children developed chronic renal failure. The outcome of nephrotic syndrome was not associated with age or gender. The end clinical status of patients correlated with duration of remission, number of subsequent relapses and response to cytotoxic agents.

Conclusions: Steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome in children should be followed over a long period, especially patients with early relapse. Relapse was seen in more than 90% of patients. Documentation of histopathology by renal biopsy may be helpful to identify those at increased risk for a poor outcome.

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Background: Childhood nephrotic syndrome is frequently characterized by a relapsing course. Due to their adverse effects, the use of corticosteroids for the management of frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome is limited. Levamisole, a steroid sparing agent, has been found to have low toxicity. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of levamisole in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SDNS). 

Methods: In this retrospective study from January 1988 to September 2006, we included data from 305 pediatric SDNS patients at the Children's Medical Center clinics in Tehran, Iran. Nephrotic syndrome was diagnosed using classic criteria. None of the patients had any signs or symptoms of secondary causes of nephrotic syndrome. All had received prednisolone 60 mg/m²/day. After remission, prednisolone administration was reduced to every other day and the steroid was tapered over the next three months. With every recurrence, prednisolone was prescribed with the same dosage, but after remission it was continued at a lower dosage for another six months or longer if there was risk of recurrence. Levamisole was administered to all patients at a dose of 2 mg/kg every other day.         

Results: Patients ranged in age from 1 to 20 years (mean±SD: 4.84 ±3.1) and 70.8% were male. At the last follow up, 84 (27.5%) were in remission, while 220 (72.1%) patients had relapsed or needed a low dose of steroid. Levamisole was effective in reducing the prednisolone dosage and long-term remission in 68 (22.3%) and 90 (29.5%) cases, respectively. A comparison of before vs. after levamisole treatment revealed a had significant decrease in the number of relapses (2.05±0.88 vs. 1.1±1.23 P<0.0001) and the prednisolone dosage (0.74±0.39 vs. 0.32±0.38 mg/kg/day P<0.0001). Only one patient developed levamisole-induced neutropenia.

Conclusions: In childhood steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome, levamisole is an efficacious, safe initial therapy in maintaining remission while decreasing steroid dose, in addition to reducing the rate of relapse.