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Pauci-immune renal vasculitis is associated strongly with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) class, which are detected in 80% to 90% of affected patients. IgA ANCAs have been reported in association with various conditions, but never in the setting of pauci-immune vasculitis. A 28-year-old man with unexplained polyclonal hyper-IgA1 diagnosed in childhood presented with decreased kidney function, nephrotic syndrome, and microscopic hematuria. Kidney biopsy showed pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis. Serum test results were negative for IgG ANCA by means of both indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. Conversely, indirect immunofluorescence performed using anti-IgA antibody was strongly positive with a cytoplasmic ANCA pattern, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test had positive results for both antimyeloperoxidase and anti-proteinase 3 IgA. IgA ANCAs were not detected in 2 control serum samples from 1 patient with polyclonal hyper-IgA and 1 patient with monoclonal hyper-IgA. The patient received corticosteroids and 4 weekly perfusions of rituximab (375 mg/m2). After a 6-month follow-up, decreased kidney function and nephrotic syndrome persisted and IgA ANCA titers were unchanged. However, a control kidney biopsy showed a decrease in vasculitis activity. This first case of pauci-immune vasculitis associated with ANCA of the IgA class suggests the potential pathogenetic role of these peculiar antibodies. Additional studies are needed to determine whether IgA ANCAs, which are not routinely screened for, can be detected in patients with pauci-immune vasculitis either alone or in association with IgG ANCA.

Renal involvement is rare in patients with type III cryoglobulinemia. We report a case of renal cortical necrosis in a patient with type III cryoglobulinemia. Renal function improved partially after treatment with plasma exchange, steroids, and cyclophosphamide. Renal magnetic resonance imaging was a valuable tool in the evaluation of the extent of renal cortical necrosis and improvement in renal vascularization after treatment.

Background: The association of thrombotic events and/or pregnancy complications with circulating antiphospholipid antibodies defines antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). In previous reports, renal involvement in APS consisted mainly of thrombotic vascular complications involving large vessels or intrarenal small-sized vessels (APS nephropathy). We report 9 cases of glomerulonephritis associated with APS. These cases are characterized by predominant pathological features distinct from vascular APS nephropathy., Methods: We reviewed consecutive renal biopsies examined in 2 French university hospitals between 1980 and 2002 and identified renal biopsies performed in patients with primary APS., Results: We identified 29 biopsies performed in patients with APS. Twenty biopsies showed characteristic features of APS nephropathy. In 9 cases, predominant pathological features distinct from vascular APS nephropathy were noted: membranous nephropathy (3 cases), minimal change disease/focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (3 cases), mesangial C3 nephropathy (2 cases), and pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis (1 case). In 7 cases, the presentation of renal symptoms was subacute or chronic. Two patients experienced episodes of acute renal failure. At referral, median creatinine clearance was 50 mL/min (0.83 mL/s) (range, 18 to 117 mL/min [0.30 to 1.95 mL/s]). Proteinuria was noted in all cases (range, 1.5 to 15 g/d), with nephrotic syndrome in 4 cases. Lupus anticoagulant was present in all cases, and anticardiolipin antibodies, in 8 cases. Anti-DNA antibodies repeatedly were negative in all cases. Treatment consisted of antihypertensive therapy (6 cases), anticoagulant drugs (5 cases), steroids (4 cases), and antiplatelet drugs (3 cases). At last follow-up, renal function remained stable in 7 patients. Of 2 patients presenting with acute renal failure, 1 patient recovered normal renal function, whereas the other patient progressed to end-stage renal failure., Conclusion: The cases reported here represent a new aspect of the expanding spectrum of renal diseases encountered in association with APS.

Background: The clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) during childhood have been extensively studied. Conversely, few data regarding the outcome in adulthood of childhood SSNS have been published previously. We undertook to conduct a retrospective study of the outcome in adulthood of a large cohort of patients diagnosed with an SSNS during childhood., Methods: We identified all children born between 1970 and 1975 who had been admitted to our institution for an SSNS. Data regarding the outcome in adulthood of these patients were obtained through mailed questionnaires or phone calls to patients and/or their parents or through attending physicians., Results: One hundred seventeen patients were identified. Data regarding the outcome of SSNS in adulthood were available for 102 patients (87.2%). Forty-three patients (42.2%) experienced at least one relapse of nephrotic syndrome in adulthood. By univariate analysis, young age at onset (<6 years) and more severe disease in childhood, indicated by a greater number of relapses (12.9 for adulthood relapsers versus 5.4 for adulthood nonrelapsers; P < 0.0001) and more frequent use of immunosuppressors (74.4% versus 31.6%; P < 0.0001) or cyclosporine (42.9% versus 7.3%; P < 0.0001) were predictive of the occurrence of SSNS relapse in adulthood. Conversely, relapse rate in the first 6 months of disease was not predictive of further relapses in adulthood. By multivariate analysis, only number of relapses during childhood was predictive of adulthood relapses (P < 0.0058). Long-term side effects of steroids were found in 44.2% of adulthood relapsers; the most frequent were osteoporosis and excess weight., Conclusion: The incidence of childhood SSNS relapses in adulthood was relatively high in our study. Further studies are required to assess long-term complications in adults with relapses and a history of prolonged steroid and immunosuppressor use., (Copyright 2003 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.)

Background: The association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with minimal change disease (MCD) and/or focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) has been described in isolated case reports. The relevance of this association is still debated., Methods: We performed a retrospective and descriptive study of 11 patients with SLE who experienced idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (iNS) in an effort to determine the relevance of this unusual combination., Results: All patients fulfilled at least four criteria (renal abnormalities excluded) of the American Rheumatologic Association for the diagnosis of SLE, and all had severe nephrotic syndrome (mean proteinuria, 9.23 +/- 6 g of protein/24 h; serum albumin concentration, 1.48 +/- 0.6 g/dL). None had a past medical history of lupus nephritis or a cause for secondary FSGS. Renal histological examination showed MCD (4 patients) or FSGS (7 patients) without mesangial proliferation. Immunofluorescence was negative in 8 patients. In 3 patients, immune deposits (immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, C3, and C1q) were present, but confined to the mesangium without glomerular changes on light microscopy. The abrupt onset of nephrotic syndrome coincided with the appearance of SLE in 6 patients (group 1) and recurrence of SLE in 3 patients (group 2). Two patients in group 1 experienced SLE recurrence with concomitant relapse of nephrotic syndrome. In only 2 patients (group 3) were the two diseases independent., Conclusion: These results suggest that a relevant association exists between both diseases, and SLE could be a precipitating factor for iNS., (Copyright 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.)

Renal involvement has been described rarely in monoclonal (type I) cryoglobulinemia, although this complication is frequent among patients with mixed (type II or III) cryoglobulin. We report two patients with glomerulonephritis and monoclonal IgGkappa cryoglobulin. Both patients presented with nephrotic syndrome, microscopic hematuria, and impaired renal function. Hepatitis C serology was negative, bone marrow aspiration was normal, and the renal biopsy specimen showed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with glomerular subendothelial deposits of monoclonal IgGkappa. In both cases, circulating cryoglobulin and monotypic tissue deposits were found to be IgG3kappa, suggesting that this isotype may have a particular propensity to cause this type of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Although 18 cases of type I cryoglobulinemia with biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis have been reported to date, this is the first characterization of immunoglobulin heavy-chain isotype in this disease., (Copyright 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.)

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), the most common cause of primary hypogammaglobulinemia, is characterized by a decreased serum immunoglobulin level, recurrent infections, and the occurrence of various autoimmune diseases. Granulomatous disease has been reported previously in several patients with CVID, with granuloma occurring in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system, and bone marrow. We report the first published case of renal granulomatous disease in a CVID patient presenting with subacute renal failure. Renal function partially recovered after corticosteroid treatment and intravenous immunoglobulin infusions. The pathogenesis of granulomatous disease in CVID is unclear but may involve monocyte and T-cell abnormalities.

The results presented during the Third International ANCA Workshop, Washington, DC, 1990, allowed a better definition of the antigenic specificity of the antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA). The large predominance of two major antigen specificities for proteinase 3 (PR3) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), in the group of vasculitic patients, was confirmed. PR3 and MPO are colocalized in the azurophilic granules of neutrophils and translocated to the cell surface during activation and thus are able to interact with ANCA after neutrophil preactivation. Furthermore, by comparison of amino acid and DNA sequences, the agreement was reached that PR3 was identical to AGP7, p29, and myeloblastin, described independently and involved in the control of growth and differentiation of leukemic cells. In addition to the two major ANCA antigens, a number of neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens recognized by ANCA have been previously identified (human leukocyte elastase [HLE], lactoferrin). It was established during the Third Workshop that these rare ANCA specificities, occurring in a limited number of patients, include a cationic antimicrobial protein (CAP57) and cathepsin G. However, the variety of ANCA antigen specificities contrasts with the fact that the vast majority of ANCA-positive sera are monospecific for a single ANCA antigen. Finally, the fine specificity of granulocyte-specific antinuclear antibodies (GS-ANA) occurring in rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis is still unknown, but clearly a substantial proportion of GS-ANA belongs to the ANCA family.