Effects of deflazacort immunosuppression on long-term growth and growth factors after renal transplantation

• Published in: Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, West) Vol. 11; no. 3; pp. 322 - 324
• Main Authors: FERRARIS, J. R, PENNISI, P, PASQUALINI, T, JASPER, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.06.1997; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Body Height - drug effects; Body Height - physiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Graft Survival - drug effects; Growth - drug effects; Growth Substances - metabolism; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Infant; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins - metabolism; Kidney Transplantation - immunology; Kidney Transplantation - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Methylprednisolone - therapeutic use; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pregnenediones - therapeutic use; Somatomedins - metabolism; Urinary system; Human; Kidney disease; Immunopathology; Corticosteroid; Deflazacort; Urinary system disease; Exploration; Transplantation; Insulin like growth factor 1; Homotransplantation; Kidney; Binding protein; Chemotherapy; Immunosuppression; Treatment; Surgery; Renal failure; Child; Growth factor
• ISSN: 0931-041X; 1432-198X
• DOI: 10.1007/s004670050285

Deflazacort is an oxazoline compound derived from prednisolone. We studied changes in kidney function, growth velocity, weight/height ratio, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), and IGF binding proteins before and after substitution of deflazacort for methylprednisone in 27 transplanted patients aged 3.1-20 years. Methylprednisone (mean +/- SEM 0.17 +/- 0.01 mg/kg per day) was replaced by deflazacort (0.29 +/- 0.01 mg/kg per day) for a period of 1-5 years. Calculated creatinine clearance did not change significantly during deflazacort treatment. Growth velocity increased from 2.6 +/- 0.5 cm/year to 5.2 +/- 0.7 cm/year (1st year) in 14 prepubertal patients. After 4 years of deflazacort treatment, height standard deviation score for chronological age did not change in 7 prepubertal patients. Mean weight/height ratio decreased by 50% (1st year) and remained reduced during follow-up. Serum IGF-I, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP3), IGF/IGFBP3 molar ratio, and IGF-I and II binding capacities showed no significant change; however in 5 of 6 patients IGFBP2 decreased during deflazacort therapy. Our findings suggest that immunosuppressive treatment with deflazacort is as effective as methylprednisone and may lead to an improvement in the growth prognosis of children with renal transplantation.