The efficacy and safety of tacrolimus in treating refractory IgA vasculitis nephritis: a single-center retrospective study on 16 cases

Abstract

Background This study aimed to observe the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus in the treatment of refractory IgA vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN). Methods Sixteen patients with IgAVN who had been previously treated with cyclophosphamide shock therapy at least 5 times, some of whom had also received mycophenolate but still had persistent proteinuria, were enrolled. The clinical and pathological data were collected and analysed. Results The average (mean ± standard deviation) age at the initial assessment for the group of 16 patients was 10 ± 2.7 years. Finally, at the end of their respective follow-up time point, 6 of the 16 patients achieved complete remission (37.5%), 5 achieved partial remission (31.3%), and 5 had no remission (31.2%). A significant difference was found in the median proteinuria before and after a 6-month course of tacrolimus treatment [19.2(11.2,31.9) vs 7.8(4.3,13.9) mg/kg/d] (P < 0.05). During the first six months of tacrolimus treatment, all patients' eGFR levels remained normal. The mean tacrolimus blood concentration was 6.0 ± 2.6 ng/ml. The median prednisone dosage was decreased from 10 mg/d to 5 mg/d, and prednisone was eventually stopped in three individuals. No drug-related adverse effects were observed during treatment. Conclusions Tacrolimus has demonstrated efficacy in increasing remission rates, significantly lowering urinary protein levels, and reducing steroid use in children with refractory IgAVN. Further research is required to investigate its optimal blood concentrations, long-term effects, and renoprotective properties.