Efficacy of tonsillectomy pulse therapy versus multiple-drug therapy for IgA nephropathy

We evaluated the efficacy of tonsillectomy plus pulse prednisolone, warfarin, and dipyridamole including methylprednisolone pulse (tonsillectomy plus pulse therapy), versus prednisolone, warfarin, and dipyridamole including mizoribine (PWDM) for the treatment diffuse IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in children. The patients were randomly assigned to be treated by tonsillectomy plus pulse therapy for 2 years (Group A, n=16) or PWDM for 2 years (Group B, n=16). The clinical features and pathological findings in both groups were analyzed prospectively. The mean urinary protein excretion after 6 months of treatment in both groups had decreased significantly compared with pre-therapy. The activity index (AI) in both groups was lower at the time of the second biopsy than at the time of the first biopsy. The chronicity index (CI) in Groups A and B did not differ between the first and second biopsy. At the latest follow-up examination none (0%) of the patients in either group had renal insufficiency. None of the patients in Group A, but six patients in Group B experienced an acute exacerbation of IgAN as a result of tonsillitis (P<0.05). In conclusion, although there was no untreated control group in this study, the results suggested that tonsillectomy plus pulse therapy is as effective as PWDM in ameliorating proteinuria and histological severity in IgAN patients and in preventing acute exacerbation of IgAN by tonsillitis.