Discontinuation of maintenance therapy in frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome
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Childhood steroid-dependent (SDNS) and frequently relapsing (FRNS) nephrotic syndromes often require long-term immunosuppressive therapy to maintain remission. Successful discontinuation of maintenance therapy remains to be a challenge with these children. In the following article, we report our experience on patients after discontinuation of steroid-sparing immunosuppressive maintenance therapy (IT). Thereby, we retrospectively reviewed all patients between 2006 and 2016 with a relapsing course of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SDNS or FRNS) treated with steroid-sparing maintenance immunosuppressive medication. Patient data of a total of 24 patients were recorded for a median time of 53.5 (11.2 - 112) months. In 11 patients, therapy was discontinued at physician's discretion. Thereafter, 8 of 11 patients (group A) relapsed after a median time of 2.21 (0.23 - 9.17) months, and IT was restarted. The remaining 3 patients (group B) maintained in long-term remission for a median time of 26.9 (17.7 - 32.1) months until the end of observation. Neither age, at initial episode nor at discontinuation or duration of IT, differed significantly between the groups of patients with relapse after discontinuation of IT, compared to those without. There was a trend towards a shorter relapse-free interval before discontinuation in group A than in group B (35.7 vs. 44.1 months). All patients who restarted IT again attained a stable remission until the last follow-up and did not show any further relapse. These results demonstrate that a failed discontinuation attempt does not put the patient's future remission at risk.
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