Pefloxacin in the treatment of childhood nephritic syndrome : a case report

Abstract EN

The idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) of childhood is characterized chiefly by a remitting and relapsing course and its striking susceptibility to corticosteroid therapy.

We report a case of relapsing nephrotic syndrome associated with urinary tract infection (UTI) treated with pefloxacin, which is a fluoro-quinolone derivative, in a dose of 800 mg per day.

Steroids were avoided because of associated UTI.

The UTI responded well and proteinuria disappeared after ten days of treatment with pefloxacin.

However, the patient developed arthralgia involving the ankles, the knees and the neck.

At this juncture, the drug was discontinued resulting in complete cessation of the joint pain.

Pefloxacin increases the production of interleukin-2, a cytokine whose metabolism is modified during nephrotic syndrome.

It has been used earlier in children with INS with equivocal results.

The toxicity of quinolones for the joints seems more frequent in children, whose cartilage is immature and several cases have been reported.

Studies on a larger number of patients are required before drawing any firm conclusions on the usefulness of pefloxacin in the treatment of INS.