| REVIEW ARTICLE |
|
| Year : 2023 | Volume
: 55
| Issue : 1 | Page : 43-52 |
Efficacy and safety of levamisole in childhood nephrotic syndrome: A meta-analysis
Girish Chandra Bhatt1, Bhupeshwari Patel1, Rashmi Ranjan Das2, Shikha Malik1, Martin Bitzan3, Nihar Ranjan Mishra4
1 Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Nephrology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
2 Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
3 McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Kidney Centre of Excellence, Al Jalila Children's Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
4 Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
Correspondence Address:
Girish Chandra Bhatt
Department of Pediatrics, Room No. 1023, Academic Block, Hospital Complex, Saket Nagar, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal - 462 020, Madhya Pradesh
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ijp.ijp_673_21
Present evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of levamisole in childhood nephrotic syndrome (NS), particularly the steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS), is limited. We searched relevant databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane CENTRAL till June 30, 2020. We included 12 studies for evidence synthesis (5 were clinical trials that included 326 children). The proportion of children without relapses at 6–12 months was higher in the levamisole group as compared to steroids (relative risk [RR]: 5.9 [95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.13–264.8], I2 = 85%). Levamisole as compared to the control increased the proportion of children without relapses at 6–12 months (RR: 3.55 [95% CI: 2.19–5.75], I2 = 0%). The GRADE evidence was of “very-low certainty” except for the comparison of levamisole with control, the latter being of “moderate certainty.” To conclude, levamisole given to children with SSNS is beneficial in preventing relapses and achieving remission as compared to placebo or low-dose steroids. Good-quality trials are needed to provide a robust evidence in this regard. PROSPERO Registration number: CRD42018086247.
[FULL TEXT] [PDF]*
|
