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Endocrine Abstracts (2022) 81 EP376 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.81.EP376

ECE2022 Eposter Presentations Diabetes, Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition (318 abstracts)

The growth effects of long-term (five years) prednisone therapy in frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome of childhood: impact on statural growth and weight gain

Ashraf Soliman 1 , Noor Hamed 1 , Mostafa Elbaba 1 , Fawzia Alyafei 1 , Maya Itani 2 , Fatima Al-Naimi 2 , Doaa Al Yousef 2 & Mona Shaat Dalees 2


1Hamad Medical Center, Pediatrics, Doha, Qatar; 2Hamad Medical Center, Nutrition and Dietitic Department, Doha, Qatar


Nephrotic syndrome (NS) in children usually has an onset between 2-8 years of age and steroids form the mainstay of management. Therapy may affect growth in children with relapsing NS.

Aim: This study was carried out to investigate linear growth and weigh gain in children with NS and multiple relapses who receiving long-term prednisone therapy (LTPT) for 5 years.

Methods: Data of 30 children with SSNS was analysed retrospectively. They received prednisolone only in the standard dose for the initial episode at 2 mg/kg/day for six weeks followed by 1.5 mg/kg on alternate days for six weeks and relapses were treated with 2 mg/kg/day till remission followed by 1.5 mg/kg/day for four weeks. (height, HtSDS, weight, BMI and BMISDS) were recorded each clinic visit along the treatment period. Growth data were correlated with the cumulative dose of steroid.

Results: The mean cumulative prednisone = 125+/- 28 mg /kg/yr given over an average duration of 5 years. The HtSDS was not affected after 3 years (from -0.38 to -0.35 respectively) but decreased to -0.79 after 5 years ( -0.4 SD loss). The BMISDS increased from 0.65 to 0.97 and 1.1 after 3 and 5 years respectively. Obesity (OB) and overweight (OW) increased from 25% pre-treatment to 59.2% after 5 years of treatment. Hypertension was detected in 12.5% and 23% of patients after 3 and 5 years of treatment.

Table 1 Longitudinal growth data of NS patients on LTPT
AgeWTWTSDHTHTSDBMIBMISD
yearskgcmkg/m2
Mean3.9917.660.19102.17-0.3816.670.65
SD2.196.400.7716.351.091.340.90
Mean6.7226.970.70118.98-0.3518.290.97
SD2.5011.771.3715.161.024.221.51
Mean8.9334.880.42126.91-0.7919.981.10
SD3.8521.301.2821.441.215.681.28
Table 2 Percent abnormalities after 3 and 5 years of LTPT
BeginningAfter 3 yr.After 5 yr.
BMISDS > 22/327/328/32
% Obesity (OB)6.25%21.88%25.00%
BMISDS >1<2 (OW) 6/327/3210/32
% OB18.75%21.88%31.25%
Total OB and OW8/3214/3218/32
25.00%43.75%56.25%

Conclusion: Long term prednisone therapy (for 5 years) with a mean cumulative dose of prednisone = 125 +/- 28 mg/kg/yr. was associated with a small decrease in the HtSDS but significant increase in the BMISDS, OW, obesity and hypertension.

Volume 81

European Congress of Endocrinology 2022

Milan, Italy
21 May 2022 - 24 May 2022

European Society of Endocrinology 

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