Effects of standard treatment combined with leflunomide and glucocorticoids on urinary protein, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels in patients with chronic nephritis: a comparison study

摘要

abstract_textpObjective: To investigate the effects of additional leflunomide and glucocorticoids on urinary protein, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels in patients with chronic nephritis. Methods: Eighty patients with chronic nephritis who were treated in our hospital from May 2004 to May 2006 were randomly divided into standard treatment (ST) group and ST combined with leflunomide and glucocorticoids treatment (LG) group (n=40 for each group) for four months. Inter-group differences in clinical efficacy and the incidences of adverse events were compared. Results: Compared with ST, patients receiving LG treatment showed lower urinary protein, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels (P=0.016, 0.021 and 0.014 respectively). Total remission rate (97.5) in the LG group was significantly higher than that in the RT group (77.5, P=0.023). The incidence of adverse reactions (7.5) in LG group was lower than that in the RT group (22.5, P=0.036) and five-year and ten-year survival rates in the LG group were significantly higher than those in the LG group (P=0.041 and 0.026 respectively). Conclusion: Leflunomide, glucocorticoids combined with ST was more effective and safer for patients with chronic nephritis compared with ST./p/abstract_text