Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Nephritis And Their Effects On Immune Function And Prognosis Of Patients

Objective: This study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of tacrolimus and cyclophosphamide in the treatment of Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) and to investigate their effects on immune function and prognosis of patients. Methods: A total of 104 patients with HSPN who were treated in our hospital from January 2014 to June 2018 were recruited. Patients treated with tacrolimus were served as group A (n=57), and those treated with cyclophosphamide as group B (n=47). The 24 h urine protein (24 h Upro), urine red blood cell (RBC) count, blood lipid indexes, liver and kidney function indexes, immune function, clinical efficacy, as well as complication rate between the two groups were compared. Results: After treatment, the 24 h Upro and urine RBC count were reduced in both groups, and the reduction in group A was more significant than that in group B (P<0.05). The cholesterol decreased in both groups after treatment (P<0.05). The albumin was remarkably elevated in both groups after treatment, and the elevation in group A was more significant than that in group B. The serum creatine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) decreased significantly in the two groups after treatment, and the SCr and BUN as well as IgA in group A were significantly lower than those in group B (P<0.05). The patients in group A showed significantly higher total effective rate and complication rate than those in group B (P<0.05). Conclusion: Although both tacrolimus and cyclophosphamide are effective in treating HSPN, tacrolimus is superior to cyclophosphamide, which induces more adverse reactions, however. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the patient's condition comprehensively in order to select the right treatment.