Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | All Patients (n=31) | Control Group (n=15) | Rituximab Group (n=16) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (yr) | 7.9±4.1 | 7.3±3.7 | 8.5±4.4 |
| Body weight (kg) | 31±17 | 30±17 | 31±17 |
| Male, n (%) | 19 (61) | 9 (60) | 10 (62) |
| Disease duration (yr) | 1.5 (0.5, 11.8) | 1.4 (0.5, 8.1) | 2.5 (0.5, 11.8) |
| Drug resistance duration (yr) | 1.3 (0.5, 11.8) | 0.8 (0.5, 8.1) | 1.6 (0.5, 11.8) |
| Delayed resistance, n (%) | 15 (48) | 8 (53) | 7 (44) |
| Renal histology, n (%) | |||
| not performed | 4a (13) | 1 (7) | 3 (19) |
| FSGS | 19 (61) | 10 (67) | 9 (56) |
| minimal-change disease | 7 (23) | 3 (20) | 4 (25) |
| inadequate material | 1(3) | 1(3) | |
| CTX therapy, n (%) | 10 (32) | 5 (33) | 5 (31) |
| Prednisone dosage (mg/kg per day) | 0.42 (0.03, 1.9) | 0.35 (0.03, 1.1) | 0.51 (0.04, 1.9) |
| Tacrolimus (vs cyclosporine) | 16 (15) | 8 (7) | 8 (8) |
| FK506 dosage (mg/kg per day) | 0.1 (0.05, 0.17) | 0.1 (0.05, 0.14) | 0.13 (0.08, 0.17) |
| Cyclosporine dosage (mg/kg per day) | 3.6 (2.5, 4.5) | 3.6 (2.6, 4) | 3.6 (2.5, 4.5) |
| ARB or ACEI, n (%) | 25 (80) | 11 (73) | 14 (88) |
| Urinary protein (g/day per m2) | 2.7 (0.8, 8.8) | 2.5 (0.8, 8.8) | 2.8 (0.8, 6.6) |
| Serum albumin (g/dl) | 2.3±0.6 | 2.3±0.5 | 2.4±0.6 |
| Serum cholesterol (mg/dl) | 360±143 | 342±129 | 377±158 |
| Serum creatinine (mg/dl) | 0.54±0.36 | 0.55±0.41 | 0.53±0.35 |
| IgG (g/dl) | 322±220 | 324±200 | 320±243 |
Values are means ± SDs or medians (interquartile ranges) reported for quantitative variables (unit) and absolute (relative) frequencies for qualitative variables. CTX, previous use of cytotoxic agents (Endoxan, Leukeran); ARB, angiotensin-receptor blocker; ACEI, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor.
a
Renal biopsy was not requested in patients who had presented at least one episode of drug responsiveness in the past.