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Background We determine the benefit of pulsed methylprednisolone for improving kidney function in patients with sarcoidosis tubulointerstitial nephritis. Methods We conducted a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, controlled trial in patients with biopsy-proven acute tubulointerstitial nephritis caused by sarcoidosis at 21 sites in France. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a methylprednisolone pulse 15 mg/kg/day for 3 days, then oral prednisone (MP group) or oral prednisone 1 mg/kg/day alone (PRD group). The primary end point was a positive response at 3 months, defined as a doubling of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) compared with the eGFR before randomization. Results We randomized 40 participants. Baseline eGFR before PRD was 22 mL/min/1.73m2 {interquartile range [IQR], 16–44} and before MP was 25 mL/min/1.73m2 (IQR, 22–36) (P  = .3). The two groups did not differ in underlying pathological lesions, including mean percentage of interstitial fibrosis and intensity of interstitial infiltrate. In the intent-to-treat population, the median eGFR at 3 months did not significantly differ between the PRD and MP groups: 45 (IQR, 34–74) and 46 (IQR, 39–65) mL/min/1.73m2. The primary end point at 3 months was achieved in 16 of 20 (80%) PRD patients and 10 of 20 (50%) MP patients (P  = .0467). The eGFR was similar between the two groups after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment. For both groups, eGFR at 1 month was strongly correlated with eGFR at 12 months (P  < .0001). The two groups did not differ in severe adverse events. Conclusion Compared with a standard oral steroid regimen, intravenous MP may have no supplemental benefit for renal function in patients with tubulointerstitial nephritis caused by sarcoidosis. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT01652417; EudraCT: 2012–000149-11 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The optimal induction therapy for severe glomerulonephritis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) is debated. We compared the efficacy of glucocorticoid and rituximab (RTX) or CYC induction therapy for severe AAV-related glomerulonephritis and evaluated the potential benefit of plasma exchange (PE) as adjunct therapy to CYC. Methods This retrospective, multicentre study included AAV patients with severe renal active disease (serum creatinine level ≥350 µmol/l and/or estimated glomerular filtration ratio ≤15 ml/min/1.73 m2). Propensity-score analysis was used to adjust for potential confounders. Results Between 2005 and 2017, 153 patients with AAV-related glomerulonephritis were studied (96 [60%] men; mean [ s. d.] age 63 [13.1] years): 19 (12%) were treated with RTX and 134 (88%) with CYC. Remission rates did not differ between RTX- and CYC-treated groups. Although more patients with RTX than CYC were dialysis-free at month (M) 12 (79% vs 68%), the difference was not significant after adjustment. Among 134 patients with CYC-treated glomerulonephritis, 76 (57%) also had PE. M3 and M6 remission rates were comparable for weighted CYC groups with or without PE. For weighted groups, the dialysis-free survival rate with CYC was higher with than without PE at M6 (72% vs 64%; odds ratio 2.58) and M12 (74% vs 60%; odds ratio 2.78) reaching statistical significance at M12. Conclusion We could not find any difference between RTX and CYC as induction therapy for patients with severe AAV-related glomerulonephritis. In patients receiving CYC induction regimen, the addition of PE conferred short-term benefits with higher dialysis-free rate at M12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little is known about clinical characteristics and kidney outcomes in patients with biopsy-proven immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) in a context of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods We conducted a retrospective multicentre study with a centralized histological review to analyse the presentation, therapeutic management and outcome of 24 patients suffering from IBD-associated IgAN relative to a cohort of 134 patients with primary IgAN without IBD. Results Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis accounted for 75 and 25% of IBD-associated IgAN cases, respectively. IBD was diagnosed before IgAN in 23 cases (a mean of 9 years previously) and was considered active at IgAN onset in 23.6% of patients. Hypertension was present in 41.7% of patients. The urinary protein:creatinine ratio exceeded 100 mg/mmol in 70.8% of patients (mean 254 mg/mmol). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was >60 mL/min/1.73   m2 in 13/24 patients and only 1 patient required dialysis. In the Oxford mesangial hypercellularity, endocapillary cellularity, segmental sclerosis and interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy with crescents classification of renal biopsies, 57% were M1, 48% E1, 76% S1, 57% T1–2 and 38% C1–2. Steroids were administered in 50% of cases. After a mean follow-up of 7.2 years, 4 patients (16.7%) had a poor kidney outcome: end-stage renal disease (n  =   3) or a >50% decrease in eGFR from initial values (n  =   1). A similar evolution was observed in patients with primitive IgAN. Conclusions This first case series suggests that IBD-associated IgAN has frequent inflammatory lesions at onset and variable long-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The recent success achieved with the use of B cell-depleting agents in some patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) suggests an unexpected role for B lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of this immune-mediated glomerular disease. Nevertheless, no extensive B-cell phenotyping analysis has ever been performed in untreated adult patients soon after MCNS diagnosis. Methods We investigated the distribution of the different B-cell subpopulations in 22 untreated adult patients with biopsy-proven MCNS [MCNS relapse (MCNS-Rel)]. We compared these data with those for 24 healthy controls, 13 MCNS patients in remission (with no specific treatment) and 19 patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Results Patients with MCNS-Rel or IMN had higher proteinuria and lower serum albumin and gammaglobulin levels (P < 0.0001 for all comparisons) than MCNS patients in remission. Plasmablasts were the only B-cell subsets present at significantly higher levels in MCNS-Rel patients than in the patients of the other three groups (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). The lower albumin levels and higher proteinuria levels were positively correlated with the percentage of circulating plasmablasts (Spearman test's ρ = −0.54, P = 0.01 and ρ = 0.65, P = 0.002, respectively). Similarly, the increase of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and the decrease of IgG levels were significantly associated with the percentage of plasmablasts in MCNS-Rel patients (Spearman's ρ = 0.36, P = 0.01 and Spearman's ρ = −0.60, P = 0.01, respectively). Increased production of interleukin (IL)-21, IL-6 and B-cell activating factor (BAFF) in the serum of MCNS-Rel patients was found significantly correlated with the percentage of plasmablasts (ρ = 0.72, P = 0.0002, ρ = 0.49, P = 0.04 and ρ = 0.62, P = 0.009, respectively). Conclusions An increase in the proportion of circulating plasmablasts seems to be a hallmark of untreated MCNS in adult patients. Further studies are required to more precisely determine the phenotype and functions of these cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Donation after circulatory determination of death (DCDD), formerly non-heart-beating donation and donation after cardiac death, has been re-introduced into clinical practice in France since June 2006 as a potential solution to organ shortage, but this kidney transplantation programme is not popular yet, mainly because of logistical concerns and uncertainty about the long-term warm ischaemia impact on transplanted kidneys. Methods. Our institution started the DCDD programme in January 2007, following the national ‘BioMedicine Agency’ protocol. We only considered uncontrolled donors with an initial no-flow period (i.e. delay between collapse and external cardiac massage start) <30 min. A 5-min stand-off period was observed before declaring the death and performing in situ cold perfusion, and since January 2010, normothermic subdiaphragmatic extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. All kidneys were machine-perfused using the hypothermic pulsatile preservation system before transplantation. Morphologic assessment and perfusion indexes were used to assess the suitability for transplantation. Results. From January 2007 to December 2010, our team performed 58 kidney transplantations from uncontrolled Maastricht Category I and II donors. Mean recipient age was 47 ± 9 years. Male/female ratio was 45/13. Mean waiting time on transplantation registry was 30 months (4–180). Mean cold ischaemia time was 13 h 40 min (7–18) and pulsatile perfusion time 8 h (1–16). We had three cases (5%) of primary non-function (PNF) and 95% of delayed graft function. There was no increase in biopsy-proven acute rejection incidence (12.7%). Patient and graft survivals were 98 and 91.4%, respectively, at 1 year and 98 and 88%, respectively, at last follow-up. Estimated glomerular filtration rate ( Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula) was 48 ± 16 mL/min/1.73m2 at 1 year and 48 ± 15 mL/min/1.73m2 at the last follow-up. Conclusions. DCDD kidneys are a valuable additional source of organs for transplantation. Our results show encouraging outcomes, which give rise to further interest in this donor pool. Respecting the national protocol is crucial to prevent PNF and deleterious warm ischaemia effect on transplanted kidney. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]