Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Regimen Jian Pi Qu Shi Formula for Refractory Patients with Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy: A Retrospective Case-Series Study

BACKGROUND: The treatment of adult refractory idiopathic membranous nephropathy with steroid and other immunosuppressant-resistant nephrotic syndromes can be a significant challenge. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine Jian Pi Qu Shi Formula (JPQSF) as a promising regimen. METHODS: We analyzed 15 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven idiopathic membranous nephropathy who failed immunosuppressive therapy from October 2013 to January 2017. JPQSF was administered orally two times per day, respectively, in the morning and at night for 6 months. All patients had at least 1 year of follow-up. The primary endpoints included complete or partial remission. Secondary endpoints included change of clinical parameters and adverse events after 12 months of treatment. RESULTS: After 12 months, complete remission was achieved in 13.3% of patients and partial remission in 66.7%, yielding a response rate of 80%. Proteinuria, serum albumin, and cholesterol were improved significantly (P<0.001, P<0.001, and P<0.05, respectively). After 1 year of treatment, proteinuria (mean ± SD) decreased from 5.93 ± 2.54 g per 24 h to 1.99 ± 1.17 g per 24 h (P<0.001). No serious adverse events occurred during the observation. CONCLUSIONS: JPQSF may be an alternative therapeutic option for steroid and general immunosuppressant-resistant membranous nephrotic syndrome patients, with a favorable safety profile. Larger and longer follow-up studies evaluating this regimen are warranted.