Via this prospective, randomized, controlled, non-blind study, researchers evaluated the therapeutic protocol of methylprednisolone intravenous infusion for its effectiveness and safety at the 1st-2nd-3rd months for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients with crescents.

• Researchers divided 68 IgAN patients with crescents proportion < 50% into the 1–2-3 group receiving 0.25 g/d methylprednisolone intravenously for 3 consecutive days in the 1st-2nd-3rd months, and oral prednisone 0.5 mg/kg/d on consecutive days for 6 months and the 1–3-5 group with the same intravenous methylprednisolone treatment in the 1st-3rd-5th months, and the same oral prednisone.

• IgAN patients with crescents in both the 1st-3rd-5th and 1st-2nd-3rd protocols showed effective alleviation of proteinuria and protection of renal function but the 1st-2nd-3rd protocol appeared to exhibit better effectiveness.