No abstract

The results of this prospective multicenter study showed that the incidence of EPS was 2.5% within a 4-year observation period and that two thirds of the cases were diagnosed after discontinuation of PD. Because of the current progress in diagnostic technology and therapeutic methodology, it appears that PD can be continued successfully with an acceptable, low risk for EPS for at least 8 years, whereas stricter caution is required for patients receiving PD for longer periods.

Rapid amelioration of hypercholesterolemia by LDL apheresis (LDL-A) was performed for long-standing nephrotic syndrome (NS) with hyperlipidemia due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FGS) and the clinical data and prognosis were compared between LDL-A-treated and nontreated groups. Seventeen steroid-resistant NS patients treated with LDL-A (LDL-A group) and 10 NS patients treated with steroids only (steroid-monotherapy (SM) group) were compared. Serum cholesterol and phospholipid levels were significantly lowered only in the LDL-A group (p < 0.01, respectively). The LDL-A group showed a significant decrease of urinary protein (UP, p < 0.01) and increase of serum albumin (p < 0.05). Average time needed to achieve a decrease of UP to less than nephrotic range (< 3.5 g/day) was significantly shorter in the LDL-A group than in the SM group (p < 0.01). Although this is not a prospective study, it is highly expected that a rapid improvement of hypercholesterolemia by LDL-A in steroid-resistant NS will provide more rapid relief from NS than steroid therapy alone.

No abstract

Low density lipoprotein apheresis therapy for steroid-resistantFocal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FGS) is a nephrotic syndrome.disease manifesting severe nephrotic syndrome (NS) that Background. The pathogenic role of hyperlipidemia in longthe latter months of 1989 we performed a random protocol LDL-A therapy that included nine episodes of steroid-resistant NS in eight patients who had been diag-Key words: thromboxane B 2 , progressive renal disease, tubulointerstinosed with FGS or MCNS [6]. For the multicenter study tial injury, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, minimal change nephrotic syndrome.with a fixed protocol, 17 steroid-resistant NS patients (14 FGS and 3 MCNS) were entered into the study.