LONG-TERM PROGNOSIS OF HENOCH-SCHÖNLEIN NEPHRITIS IN CHILDREN

The long-term prognosis in Henoch-Schonlein purpura is determined principally by the development of progressive glomerulonepbritis (>10% progress to end-stage renal failure). In this study we aimed to investigate the long-term prognosis of Henoch-Schonlein nephritis (HSN) in childhood. Between 1991 and 2003, 156 patients with HSN were investigated retrospectively. There were 86 boys and 70 girls with a mean age of 9.6 years. They were graded according to the degree of renal involvement: grade 1, isolated microscopic hematuria (n = 31); grade 2, hematuria and mild proteinuria (n = 60); grade 3, acute nephritic syndrome (n = 4); grade 4, nephrotic syndrome ± hematuria (n = 18); grade 5, acute nephritic and nepbrotic syndrome (n = 43). Renal biopsy was performed on 43 patients with grade 4 or 5 disease. Twenty patients had extensive crescent formation (>50%) as shown by the renal biopsy and were given triple therapy (intravenous pulse methylprednisolone [30 mg/kg per day for 3 days] followed by oral prednisolone [OP], oral cyclophosphamide [2 mg/kg per day for 2 to 3 months], and dipyridamole). The other 23 patients with