Reduced-Dose Methylprednisolone Boosts Kidney Health in High-Risk IgAN but Increases SAEs: TESTING analysis
Australia: A tapered regimen of reduced-dose oral methylprednisolone administered over 6 to 9 months significantly enhances kidney outcomes in patients with high-risk IgA nephropathy (IgAN), as revealed by a prespecified secondary analysis of the reduced-dose group in the global Therapeutic Effects of Steroids in IgAN (TESTING) trial.
The study, published in Kidney International Reports, also noted that the reduced-dose regimen is associated with a modestly higher number of serious adverse events (SAEs) compared to placebo.
"Results indicated that a 0.4 mg/kg/d methylprednisolone regimen is linked to a 76% reduction in the risk of the primary composite kidney outcome compared to supportive care alone. Additionally, the study highlighted that this treatment delays the progression to kidney failure in patients already receiving maximal supportive care," the researchers reported.
The global TESTING study found that methylprednisolone lowers the risk of major kidney events in high-risk IgAN patients compared to supportive care alone, though it is linked to a higher incidence of SAEs, particularly with full-dose therapy. In the prespecified analysis of the reduced-dose cohort from the TESTING trial, Dana Kim, The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and colleagues evaluated the risk-benefit balance of the reduced-dose methylprednisolone regimen.
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