Active clinical trials for "Nephrotic Syndrome"

In childhood nephrotic syndrome, the kidneys leak protein, causing body swelling and a variety of possible complications such as infection, blood clots, and kidney failure. The first-line treatment for nephrotic syndrome is corticosteroids. Many children respond to prednisone treatment, but the disease comes back (relapses) when the prednisone is stopped or the dose is reduced. Children with frequently relapsing or steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome are at risk for toxicity from frequent exposure to corticosteroids. Currently, the standard treatment for frequently relapsing and steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome involves a variety of medications that suppress the immune system, which can produce serious side effects. We propose a study to examine the effects of a different medication, ACTH, on nephrotic syndrome. ACTH is a hormone naturally found in the body. Recently, in adult studies, ACTH has been shown to be effective for the treatment of nephrotic syndrome. It has also been shown to have mild and reversible side effects. ACTH is potentially an attractive therapeutic alternative for the treatment of frequently relapsing and steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome in children. Our study will randomly assign patients with frequently relapsing or steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome to either ACTH treatment or no treatment. This will allow us to study the effects of ACTH on this disease and its side effects, by comparing how patients do on ACTH treatment versus no treatment. We hypothesize that ACTH gel is superior to no treatment in maintaining remission in children with frequently relapsing or steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome.

Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome is steroid-sensitive in more than 90% of cases in children. However 60% of cases are steroid dependent and required treatment with immunosuppressive agent. Cyclophosphamide and ciclosporin are used for long time to reduce steroid dependency, but duration of these treatments should be restricted because of gonadotoxicity for cyclophosphamide and nephrotoxicity for ciclosporin. Mycophenolate mofetil appears as an alternative treatment without gonadotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. However, contrary to cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil does not seem to have a residual action so that treatment must be maintained during months or years. The aim of the study is to compare efficacy of cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil in steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome in children.

Exploring the efficacy and safety of Tacrolimus on refractory nephrotic syndrome ; Acquiring the experience of Tacrolimus on the treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome in Chinese patients.

Study objective: To investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium combined with low-dose corticosteroid as first-line treatment for minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS).

We aim to investigate (1) the effects of combined pentoxifylline and corticosteroids, compared to that of corticosteroids, on patients with primary nephrotic syndrome; and if possible (2) the effects of pentoxifylline monotherapy on patients with primary nephrotic syndrome not suitable for or intolerant of standard corticosteroid therapy.

Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is one of the most common forms of nephrotic syndrome (NS) in adults and is usually treated by corticosteroids in combination with cytotoxic drugs especially cyclophosphamide or cyclosporine. Tacrolimus, a new immunosuppressive agent, was proved to be effective in treating refractory NS. Whether it is effective in IMN has not been reported. We therefore undertook a multi-center, controlled study to investigate the efficacy and safety profile of tacrolimus compared with cyclophosphamide in the treatment of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy and nephrotic syndrome.

This study will test the safety and effectiveness of a monthly dosing regimen of dexamethasone-a strong steroid medication-to treat patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Patients with this disease have kidney fibrosis (scarring) and proteinuria (excessive excretion of protein in the urine) that, in about half of the patients eventually requires kidney dialysis or transplant. Currently, the most effective treatment for FSGS is high-dose steroids (prednisone) taken daily for 4 to 6 months. However, only about 30 percent of patients respond to this treatment, and it causes serious side effects in many patients. Other drugs, such as cyclosporin and cyclophosphamide, improve proteinuria in even fewer patients (about 10 percent) and also have serious side effects. This study will explore whether a monthly pulse dose of steroids will achieve disease remission with less toxicity. Adults and children with FSGS who: 1) have not received steroid treatment, or 2) could not tolerate daily steroid treatment, or 3) relapsed after conventional steroid treatment may be eligible for this study. Those enrolled will take dexamethasone by mouth for 4 days every 4 weeks for a total of 8 months. Patients will undergo various tests before treatment starts (baseline), during the course of treatment, and in follow-up visits to evaluate the effects of treatment as follows: Review of kidney biopsy, medical evaluation, measurement of total daily urine protein excretion and kidney function, psychiatric testing for depression or other mood disorder Measurements of blood pressure, blood chemistries and urine protein excretion - monthly during treatment Questionnaire about the effects of treatment, if any, on mood and feelings - monthly during treatment Photographs of the face and body (in underwear or shorts and tank top) to evaluate body fat distribution- baseline and 8 months Eye examinations for cataracts and glaucoma - baseline and 8 months Bone density scan (DEXA scan) of the lower spine and hip - baseline, 4 and 12 months Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the hips Psychological evaluation and quality of life evaluation - baseline, 1, 2 and 8 months Blood tests for adrenal gland function - baseline, 4 and 8 months Blood and urine tests - 10, 12, 15, and 18 months Patients who achieve remission (whose urine protein levels decrease to normal) before completing the 8 months of dexamethasone will take one more dose and then stop therapy, but continue with follow-up. Patients who achieve remission but relapse may be offered a second course of treatment.

Conducted as a randomized controlled clinical trial, this study aims to assess the potential benefits of incorporating dapagliflozin, an SGLT-2 inhibitor, into the treatment regimen of patients diagnosed with primary nephrotic syndrome. The primary focus is on examining the impact of dapagliflozin on two key parameters: proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The trial involves adult participants who have been definitively diagnosed with primary nephrotic syndrome through renal biopsy. In conjunction with their standard care, these participants will receive a daily dose of dapagliflozin at 10 mg. Over a span of six months, they will undergo comprehensive monthly assessments. These assessments will involve the collection and analysis of urine samples to quantify proteinuria and perform urinalysis. Additionally, blood samples will be taken to determine the estimated eGFR, lipid profile, glycated hemoglobin. Participants will also be encouraged to report any potential side effects resulting from their medication intake.

The etiology and precipitating factors of PNS remain unclear. Dysfunction of immunologic function is a classic theory of the pathogenesis of PNS. This study was aimed at investigating the characteristics of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and exploring its value of predicting infection in children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS).

Nephrotic syndrome in children is primarily caused by minimal change disease. Majority of these patients respond well to corticosteroids. However, as many as 70% of children with nephrotic syndrome experience at least one relapse, and 30% develop a more complicated course with frequent relapses (FRNS)(≥2 relapses/ 6 months) with or without steroid dependency (SDNS)(relapse during tapering or within 2 weeks after discontinuation of corticosteroids). Repeated and prolonged courses of steroids in these children often result in long-term complications. The goal of the treatment is to reduce the rate of relapses, the cumulative dose of corticosteroids, and the incidence of serious complications. In order to minimize the side effects of steroid therapy, different steroid sparing agents such as cyclophosphamide, calcineurin inhibitors(CNI), levamisole, and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) have been used in SDNS. Whereas CNI are usually considered the steroid sparing drug class of first choice, rituximab is increasingly used as alternative to minimize CNI toxicity. Various prospective studies suggest that Rituximab, a B cell depleting monoclonal antibody, could be a safe and effective alternative to steroid or immunosuppressants to achieve and maintain remission in this population.Single rituximab course have been shown to be efficacious for 6 to 12 months and the side effect profile observed to date is very benign. Studies comparing the usefulness of these agents are lacking. In our proposed randomized controlled trial, the investigators want to compare the efficacy and safety of CNI to that of Rituximab in treating children with SDNS.