Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder primarily involving the sacroiliac joints and spine. It usually affects young people, and bone formation and resorption are implicated in the pathogenesis of AS. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the first line therapy and are very effective in most of patients who have inflammatory back pain. If NSAIDs are not effective, anti-TNF-alpha agents are strongly recommended in severe inflammatory back pain. Anti-TNF-alpha is very effective in most of AS patients. A study by Lee et al. showed that AS patients who were treated with anti-TNF-alpha have weight gain and improvement of osteoporosis. In this editorial, studies on the improvement of weight and osteoporosis with anti-TNF-alpha agents are reviewed.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Back Pain ; Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis* ; Sacroiliac Joint ; Spine ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; Weight Gain*

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder primarily involving the sacroiliac joints and spine. It usually affects young people, and bone formation and resorption are implicated in the pathogenesis of AS. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the first line therapy and are very effective in most of patients who have inflammatory back pain. If NSAIDs are not effective, anti-TNF-alpha agents are strongly recommended in severe inflammatory back pain. Anti-TNF-alpha is very effective in most of AS patients. A study by Lee et al. showed that AS patients who were treated with anti-TNF-alpha have weight gain and improvement of osteoporosis. In this editorial, studies on the improvement of weight and osteoporosis with anti-TNF-alpha agents are reviewed.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Back Pain ; Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis* ; Sacroiliac Joint ; Spine ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; Weight Gain*

C1q nephropathy is a rare glomerular disease, defined by characteristic mesangial C1q immune deposition seen in immunofluorescence microscopy with no serological evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus. C1q nephropathy can be diagnosed with a subsequent biopsy, as with IgA nephropathy. There are some cases with an initial diagnosis of hematuria and proteinuria with minimal disease changes, focal segmental glomerulonephritis, and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, but lacking C1q nephropathy, in which C1q deposition on immunofluorescence subsequently develops. We report a case that was diagnosed as diffuse mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, but a subsequent biopsy showed C1q nephropathy, with C1q deposition in both immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy (EM). We treated the C1q nephropathy with methylprednisolone and confirmed the disappearance of C1q depositions by both immunohistochemistry and EM in a follow-up biopsy.
Biopsy ; Complement C1q ; Diagnosis ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Hematuria ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Methylprednisolone ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Proteinuria

Diabetic nephropathy is a chronic microvascular complication of type 2 diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. We report the case of a 34-year-old male, newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who had advanced-stage nephropathy with glomerular crescents. A moderately-to-severely decreased glomerular filtration rate with nephrotic syndrome was seen at the time of diagnosis of diabetes. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy was detected, but there was no positive finding in serology tests for glomerulonephritis. Non-necrotizing cellular crescents and nodular glomerulosclerosis were observed in a kidney biopsy, and renal function declined rapidly to the end stage. We review data on diabetic glomerulosclerosis with cellular crescents and the rapid progression of nephropathy.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Nephropathies* ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Diagnosis ; Disease Progression ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Glomerulonephritis ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Pathology