No abstract available.
Adult ; Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis/*complications/diagnosis/drug therapy/immunology ; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic/*blood ; Biomarkers/blood ; Biopsy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/*complications/diagnosis/drug therapy/immunology ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use ; Male ; Myeloblastin/*immunology ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Tubulointerstitial injury plays an important role in the progression of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is among the most sensitive tubular biomarkers. We investigated whether serum or urine NGAL predicts prognosis in patients with IgAN. METHODS: The present study enrolled patients with biopsy-proven IgAN from January 2005 to December 2010, whose serum and urine samples at the time of kidney biopsy were preserved by freezing. We retrospectively reviewed patient clinical data and followed patients until October 2012. Serum and urine NGAL levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Renal progression was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate decline by > 50% or progression to end-stage renal disease. RESULTS: There were 121 patients enrolled in this study. During the median follow-up period of 41.49 months, renal progression was found in nine patients (7.4%). Serum or urine NGAL alone could not predict renal progression; however, when serum and urine NGAL levels were combined, belonging to the high NGAL group independently predicted renal progression (hazard ratio [HR], 5.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42 to 21.73; p = 0.014), along with tubular damage graded according to the Oxford classification as T2 (HR, 8.79; 95% CI, 2.01 to 38.51; p = 0.004). In addition, a Kaplan-Meier curve of renal survival showed significantly higher renal progression in patients in the high NGAL group (log rank, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with IgAN, high serum and urine NGAL levels at the time of kidney biopsy predict renal progression.
Acute-Phase Proteins/*urine ; Adult ; Biomarkers/blood/urine ; Biopsy ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Disease Progression ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/*blood/complications/pathology/physiopathology/*urine ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Kidney/*metabolism/pathology/physiopathology ; Lipocalins/*blood/*urine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/*blood/*urine ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a well-known biomarker of acute kidney injury. We evaluated the value of plasma NGAL (pNGAL) as an independent predictor of prognosis in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). METHODS: In total, 91 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN at a single center were evaluated. pNGAL was measured using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (R&D Systems). Adverse renal outcome was defined as chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3 or above at the last follow-up. Pearson correlation coefficient and Cox regression were used for analyses. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients (male:female, 48:43) was 35 years (range, 18 to 77). pNGAL ranged between 21.68 and 446.40 ng/mL (median, 123.97) and showed a correlation with age (r = 0.332, p = 0.001), creatinine (r = 0.336, p = 0.001), estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = -0.397, p < 0.001), uric acid (r = 0.289, p = 0.006), and the protein-to-creatinine ratio (r = 0.288, p = 0.006). During a mean follow-up period of 37.6 months, 11 patients (12.1%) had CKD stage 3 or above. In a multivariate Cox regression model, hypertension (hazard ratio [HR], 8.779; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.526 to 50.496; p = 0.015), proteinuria > 1 g/day (HR, 5.184; 95% CI, 1.124 to 23.921; p = 0.035), and pNGAL (HR, 1.012; 95% CI, 1.003 to 1.022; p = 0.013) were independent predictors associated with adverse renal outcome. CONCLUSIONS: pNGAL showed strong correlations with other clinical prognostic factors and was also an independent predictor of adverse renal outcome. We suggest pNGAL as a potential predictor for prognosis in IgAN, while further studies are needed to confirm the clinical value.
Acute-Phase Proteins ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers/blood ; Biopsy ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Creatinine/blood ; Disease Progression ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/*blood/complications/pathology/physiopathology ; Humans ; Kidney/*metabolism/pathology/physiopathology ; Linear Models ; Lipocalins/*blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/*blood ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/blood/etiology ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics of children with an initial onset of IgA nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome and compare them with children with primary nephrotic syndrome, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the differential diagnosis of the two diseases.

METHODSFifty children diagnosed with an initial onset of IgA nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome were included in this study. Seventy-two children diagnosed with an initial onset of primary nephrotic syndrome served as the control group. The clinical and laboratory examination characteristics were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe IgA nephropathy group had significantly higher incidence rates of gross haematuria, microscopic haematuria, hypertension, acute kidney injury, low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, anemia, low serum complement C4, steroid resistance, and nephritis-type nephrotic syndrome and a significantly lower incidence of elevated serum IgE compared with the control group (P<0.05). There were significant differences in serum creatinine, serum uric acid, serum total cholesterol, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, serum IgE, serum complement C4, and hemoglobin levels between the IgA nephropathy and the control groups (P<0.05). The thresholds of serum IgE (<131.2 IU/mL) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (<1.35 mmol/L) were reference parameters in the differential diagnosis of IgA nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome and primary nephrotic syndrome.

CONCLUSIONSChildren with IgA nephropathy presenting nephrotic syndrome manifest mainly as nephritis type and steroid-resistant type in the clinical classification. Cinical manifestations accompanied by serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and IgE are helpful for differential diagnosis of IgA nephropathy presenting nephrotic syndrome and primary nephrotic syndrome.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Complement C4 ; analysis ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; blood ; complications ; Hematuria ; etiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; blood ; complications

No abstract available.
Biopsy ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; *Diagnostic Errors ; Enzyme Replacement Therapy ; Fabry Disease/complications/*diagnosis/enzymology/genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/diagnosis/etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Phenotype ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch/*diagnosis ; alpha-Galactosidase/genetics/therapeutic use

Adult ; Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome ; etiology ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; complications ; Humans ; Puerperal Disorders ; etiology

BACKGROUNDThe high blood homocysteine (Hcy) levels found in patients with hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) have been implicated in an increased risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study investigated the association of HHcy with progression of IgA nephropathy.

METHODSWe analyzed 108 participants newly diagnosed with IgA nephropathy between August 2005 and August 2007 in the Department of Nephrology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital. The association between clinicopathological factors and the Hcy levels were analyzed by Logistic regression and those with ESRD risk were analyzed by Cox regression.

RESULTSPatients were aged (35.71 ± 10.73) years and included 45.71% women and 12.04% patients with HHcy. In multivariate Logistic regression analysis, HHcy was associated with arterial lesions (OR 2.60; 95% CI 1.55 ± 4.34; P < 0.001) even when age, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, mean arterial pressure, and initial proteinuria were taken into account. Mean follow-up was (67.37 ± 16.21) months. HHcy was also associated with worse ESRD-free survival (HR 4.71; 95% CI 1.45 to 15.31; P = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONHHcy is associated with the risk of intrarenal arterial lesions and may be useful for estimating the prognosis of IgA nephropathy.

Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; physiology ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; complications ; physiopathology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Behcet's disease (BD) theoretically affects all sizes and types of blood vessels and results in multi-organ involvement. However, renal BD has not been fully characterized, though the kidneys are histologically rich in blood vessels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 2007 patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for BD were enrolled in this study. We reviewed the medical records and test results of the BD patients and used univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to determine the clinical significance of renal involvement in BD. RESULTS: Among the 2007 BD patients, we noted hematuria in 412 (20.5%) and proteinuria in 29 (1.4%). Univariate analysis showed that the BD patients with hematuria were predominantly female and older, had higher erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESRs), and more frequently presented with genital ulcerations. BD patients with proteinuria had higher ESR levels compared to BD patients without proteinuria. In the multivariate analysis, age, sex, and ESR were found to be significantly associated with hematuria in BD patients, whereas only ESR was associated with proteinuria in BD patients. We also found that IgA nephropathy was the most common pathologic diagnosis in 12 renal BD patients who underwent renal biopsies. CONCLUSION: We suggest that routine urinalysis and serum renal function tests be performed for the early detection of renal BD, especially in older female BD patients with recurrent hematuria, high ESR levels, and frequent genital ulcers, as well as in BD patients with proteinuria and high ESR levels.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Behcet Syndrome/*complications/epidemiology/*metabolism ; Biopsy ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/complications/diagnosis ; Hematuria/complications/diagnosis ; Humans ; Kidney/*pathology ; Kidney Diseases/*diagnosis ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Proteinuria/complications/diagnosis ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Aged ; Anemia/diagnosis ; Bone Marrow Cells/pathology ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 ; Electrophoresis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/complications/*diagnosis ; Hematuria/pathology ; Hemoglobin A/analysis ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Renal Insufficiency/diagnosis ; beta-Globins/genetics ; beta-Thalassemia/*diagnosis/etiology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In several recent studies, renal biopsies in patients with type 2 diabetes and renal disease have revealed a heterogeneous group of disease entities. Our aim was to study the prognosis and clinical course of nondiabetic renal disease (NDRD) and to determine risk factors for NDRD in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Renal biopsy reports of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes who were seen at Kyung Hee University Medical Center and Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Korea between January 2000 and December 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes, 41 (37.3%) had diabetic nephropathy (DN), 59 (53.6%) had NDRD, and 10 (9.1%) had NDRD superimposed on DN. Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (43.5%) was the most common NDRD. Patients with NDRD had a shorter duration of diabetes, lower frequency of diabetic retinopathy, and better renal outcomes, which might have resulted from the use of aggressive disease-specific treatments such as steroids and immunosuppressants in patients with NDRD. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with DN, NDRD was associated with better renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes, as evidenced by a higher cumulative renal survival rate and lower rate of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Shorter duration of diabetes and absence of retinopathy were independent predictors of NDRD in patients with type 2 diabetes and renal involvement. Renal biopsy is recommended for patients with type 2 diabetes and risk factors for NDRD, to obtain an accurate diagnosis, prompt initiation of disease-specific treatment, and ultimately better renal outcomes with the avoidance of ESRD.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*complications/diagnosis/therapy ; Diabetic Nephropathies/diagnosis/etiology ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/complications/diagnosis ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Kidney Diseases/*complications/diagnosis/therapy ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/diagnosis/etiology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors