Hyperglobulinaemic Renal Tubular Acidosis: A Report of Nine Cases

Of nine women with hyperglobulinaemic renal tubular acidosis four presented with acidosis and five had the “incomplete” form of the disorder. Seven patients had nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, but none had the Fanconi syndrome. Investigation showed abnormal immunoglobulins and autoantibodies in all nine patients. Diseases coexisting with renal tubular acidosis were Sjögren''s syndrome, hyperglobulinaemic purpura, autoimmune liver and thyroid disease, diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, and a peripheral neuropathy. It is suggested that this type of renal tubular acidosis might be due to an autoimmune process.     

Cryoglobulinaemia in Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura.

Sera from patients with Henoch-Schönlein purpura were examined for cryoglobulinaemia. Thirty patients had acute Henoch-Schönlein purpura, with or without renal diseas; 14 had chronic nephritis after a previous episode of purpura; and 17 were well, without urinary abnormalities, after recovering from Henoch-Schönlen purpura. Raised concentrations of cryoglobulins were present in 14 (47%) of those with acute purpura, nine (64%) of those with chronic nephritis, but none of those who had recovered completely from Henoch-Schönlein purpura. This suggests that acute Henoch-Schönlein purpura and the chronic nephritis that sometimes follows it have an immune-complex pathogenesis. IgA and properdin were found in several cryoglobulins, which suggested that complement had been activated via the alternative pathway, but isolated cryoglobulins capable of splitting C3 in vitro did so via the classical pathway.     

单核细胞趋化蛋白-1、可溶性血管细胞黏附分子-1与小儿紫癜性肾炎及其并发肾损伤的关系研究

摘要 目的：分析单核细胞趋化蛋白-1（MCP-1）、可溶性血管细胞黏附分子-1（sVCAM-1）与小儿紫癜性肾炎及其并发肾损伤的关系。方法：选择我院在2018年1月至2020年12月期间收治的108例紫癜性肾炎患儿作为观察组,另选108例健康体检儿童作为对照组。检测两组血清MCP-1、sVCAM-1表达水平,分析紫癜性肾炎患儿血清MCP-1、sVCAM-1表达水平与肾功能指标的关系,通过受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）下面积（AUC）评价血清MCP-1联合sVCAM-1判断肾损伤的效能。结果：观察组血清MCP-1、sVCAM-1表达水平均高于对照组（P＜0.05）;观察组24 h尿蛋白定量（24 h Upro）、胱抑素C（Cys-C）、血肌酐（SCr）表达水平均高于对照组（P＜0.05）;经Pearson相关性分析,紫癜性肾炎患儿血清MCP-1、sVCAM-1表达水平均与24 h Upro、Cys-C、SCr表达水平呈正相关（P＜0.05）;在108例紫癜性肾炎患儿中,发生肾损伤34例;肾损伤组血清MCP-1、sVCAM-1表达水平均高于非肾损伤组（P＜0.05）;经ROC曲线分析,血清MCP-1联合sVCAM-1判断紫癜性肾炎患儿发生肾损伤的AUC为0.862,明显大于单一指标MCP-1的0.660和sVCAM-1的0.663（P＜0.05）。结论：紫癜性肾炎患儿血清MCP-1、sVCAM-1表达水平升高,与肾脏受累程度有关,联合判断肾损伤的效能较好,为监测病情演变提供了新的参考依据,值得临床予以重视。     

Indicators of acute and persistent renal damage in adult thrombotic microangiopathy

Background

Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA) in adults such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) are life-threatening disorders if untreated. Clinical presentation is highly variable and prognostic factors for clinical course and outcome are not well established.

Methods

We performed a retrospective observational study of 62 patients with TMA, 22 males and 40 females aged 16 to 76 years, treated with plasma exchange at one center to identify clinical risk factors for the development of renal insufficiency.

Results

On admission, 39 of 62 patients (63%) had acute renal failure (ARF) with 32 patients (52%) requiring dialysis treatment. High systolic arterial pressure (SAP, p = 0.009) or mean arterial pressure (MAP, p = 0.027) on admission was associated with acute renal failure. Patients with SAP>140 mmHg on admission had a sevenfold increased risk of severe kidney disease (OR 7.464, CI 2.097–26.565). MAP>100 mmHg indicated a fourfold increased risk for acute renal failure (OR 4.261, CI 1.400–12.972). High SAP, diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and MAP on admission were also independent risk factors for persistent renal insufficiency with the strongest correlation for high MAP. Moreover, a high C-reactive protein (CRP) level on admission correlated with renal failure in the course of the disease (p = 0.003). At discharge, renal function in 11 of 39 patients (28%) had fully recovered, 14 patients (23%) remained on dialysis, and 14 patients (23%) had non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease. Seven patients (11%) died. We identified an older age as risk factor for death.

Conclusions

High blood pressure as well as high CRP serum levels on admission are associated with renal insufficiency in TMA. High blood pressure on admission is also a strong predictor of sustained renal insufficiency. Thus, adult TMA patients with high blood pressure may require special attention to prevent persistent renal failure.     

Fibrosing Alveolitis Associated with Renal Tubular Acidosis

The discovery of a case of renal tubular acidosis and fibrosing alveolitis led to the investigation of 19 further patients. Abnormal pulmonary function tests were found in a further four patients with overt renal tubular acidosis and in four out of eight patients with “incomplete” renal tubular acidosis. The response to an ammonium chloride test in seven patients with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis was normal. Those patients with a defect of both renal acidification and pulmonary gas transfer had concurrent autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren''s syndrome and primary biliary cirrhosis. It is suggested that the renal and pulmonary abnormalities may be part of a systemic disorder capable of affecting many organs. Moreover, hyperglobulinaemia and autoantibodies in these patients further suggests that immunological mechanisms are concerned in the pathogenesis of these abnormalities.     

紫癜性肾炎临床表现与肾脏损伤相关性分析

目的：分析紫癜性肾炎患者的,临床及病理资料,探讨两者之间相关性,并利用临床指标评估肾脏损伤的程度。方法：收集哈尔滨医科大学附属第一医院肾内科’肾活检及临床确诊为紫癜性肾炎的101例住院病人。分别比较年龄、病程、紫癜出现的次数、血压、蛋白尿、尿红细胞数、血肌酐、血浆白蛋白及纤维蛋白原与肾脏损伤程度之间的关系。结果：紫癜性肾炎肾脏损伤程度与病程（P〈0．0001）、血压（P〈0．0001）、蛋白尿（P〈0．0001）、血肌酐（P〈0．0001）、纤维蛋白原（P=0．0189）呈正相关;与血浆白蛋白（P〈0．0001）呈负相关;与年龄（P=0．6515）、紫癜出现的次数（P=0．912）、血尿（P：0．0781）没有统计学差异。结论：紫癜性肾炎的I陆床表现及化验指标,如紫癜的病程、紫癜出现的次数、血压、蛋白尿、血肌酐、血浆白蛋白及纤维蛋白原等与肾脏损伤的严重程度密切相关,通过对临床表现及化验指标的评价分析可以对肾脏损伤程度作出初步评估,对肾活检患者的选择、治疗方案的确定及判断预后均有一定的指导意义。     

Haemodialysis and transplantation in Wegener's granulomatosis.

Two men with Wegener''s disease began immunosuppressive treatment during severe renal insufficiency. Despite an initial temporary remission new lesions appeared and renal failure progressed. Haemodialysis was started, cytotoxic drugs were stopped, and steroid dosage was reduced. All extrarenal manifestations of the disease remitted, however, suggesting a favourable effect of either the immunosuppression induced by terminal renal failure or the haemodialysis itself. Renal transplantation was then undertaken in both patients. Thirteen and 55 months after the operations respectively renal function was satisfactory and no signs of reactivation of Wegener''s disease had appeared. These results show that whatever the activity of Wegener''s disease and its initial response to immunosuppressive agents, dialysis and transplantation are fully warranted once irreversible renal failure is established.     

Histoplasmosis and Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Transmission by Renal Homotransplantation

Two patients with disseminated histoplasmosis are reported. One patient presented with severe thrombocytopenic purpura and splenomegaly. Histoplasmin skin test, blood and bone marrow cultures and smears, sputum cultures, and chest radiographs were negative for Histoplasma capsulatum. She died on the sixth hospital day from a massive intracerebral hemorrhage. Cardiorespiratory function was maintained until one kidney was removed for homotransplantation. The second patient, with chronic glomerulonephritis and uremia, received the renal homograft from the first patient. Initial signs of homograft rejection developed five days postoperatively. Diffuse thrombocytopenic purpura occurred shortly thereafter. Spores of Histoplasma capsulatum were observed in blood smears, in leukocyte concentrates, and in five-day leukocyte cultures from the blood obtained prior to death. Disseminated histoplasmosis was found in both patients at autopsy. The severe platelet deficit in both cases suggests that systemic histoplasmosis should be considered as a cause of thrombocytopenic purpura.To our knowledge, this is the first reported instance of direct transmission of Histoplasma capsulatum, and must be considered a hazard in homotransplantation.In vitro leukocyte cultures as a method for early diagnosis of certain disseminated fungous infections needs further investigation.     

Bilateral nephrectomy for massive pulmonary hemorrhage in Goodpasture's syndrome

A case of Goodpasture''s syndrome is described in which bilateral nephrectomy was undertaken because of massive pulmonary hemorrhage. Similar cases recorded in the literature are reviewed. Various hypotheses to explain the beneficial effects of renal ablation on lung purpura are considered. It is suggested that the pulmonary hemorrhage in Goodpasture''s syndrome is mediated in part by a non-antibody humoral factor with permeability-increasing properties that is released from the nephritic kidney.     

The Effect of Urography on Renal Function in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Reports in the medical literature of seven patients with multiple myeloma who died of acute renal failure following intravenous urography prompted a study of 39 patients with multiple myeloma who were subjected to intravenous urography at the Cleveland Clinic from 1940 to 1959. Four developed acute renal failure and two died within three weeks. All four revealed evidence of renal damage, or insufficiency, or both prior to urography. Thirty-five patients, 15 of whom had renal damage, had no untoward reaction to intravenous urography. These observations suggest that urography is associated with a small but definite risk in patients who have multiple myeloma and renal involvement.     

Beneficial effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition on renal function in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

The effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition with captopril were investigated in patients with diabetic nephropathy and hypertension. After nine days'' treatment with captopril glomerular filtration rate was unchanged in 13 patients, whereas renal plasma flow had increased from 265 to 302 ml/min/1.73 m2 body surface area (p less than 0.05) and the filtration fraction had decreased from 14.3 to 12.8% (p less than 0.025). During two years'' treatment with captopril in 14 patients the mean arterial blood pressure had fallen by 5 mm Hg (p less than 0.005) and the deterioration in glomerular filtration rate had decreased from 10.3 to 2.4 ml/min/year (p less than 0.005). There was no correlation between the fall in blood pressure and the reduction in the deterioration of glomerular filtration rate. These findings suggest that the effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition on renal haemodynamics protect renal function. Inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme should be considered for lowering blood pressure in patients with diabetic nephropathy.     

IgA-antigliadin antibodies in IgA mesangial nephropathy (Berger's disease).

Circulating IgA-antigliadin antibodies were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in four of 121 patients (3%) who had IgA mesangial nephropathy and 14 of 17 children (82%) who had untreated coeliac disease. No positive cases were present in the 54 healthy subjects of the control group. Three patients who had IgA nephropathy and IgA-antigliadin antibodies underwent jejunal biopsy, and two showed mucosal atrophy. In these two patients urinary abnormalities, together with the IgA-antigliadin antibodies, disappeared completely after three months and five months, respectively, of following a gluten free diet. Circulating IgA immune complexes were found in most patients who had coeliac disease and Berger''s disease associated with IgA-antigliadin antibodies, suggesting overactivity of the B cells producing IgA in both conditions. By contrast, a circulating IgA rheumatoid factor was detectable in three of the four patients who had IgA nephropathy and asymptomatic coeliac disease but was always absent in children who had coeliac disease but did not show signs of renal disease. These results suggest that a more complex abnormality in the IgA immune response is necessary for renal disease to become manifest in patients who have gluten enteropathy.     

Acquired idiopathic ADAMTS13 activity deficient thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in a population from Japan

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a type of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Studies report that the majority of TTP patients present with a deficiency of ADAMTS13 activity. In a database of TMA patients in Japan identified between 1998 and 2008, 186 patients with first onset of acquired idiopathic (ai) ADAMTS13-deficient TTP (ADAMTS13 activity <5%) were diagnosed. The median age of onset of TTP in this group of patients was 54 years, 54.8% were female, 75.8% had renal involvement, 79.0% had neurologic symptoms, and 97.8% had detectable inhibitors to ADAMTS13 activity. Younger patients were less likely to present with renal or neurologic dysfunction (p<0.01), while older patients were more likely to die during the TTP hospitalization (p<0.05). Findings from this cohort in Japan differ from those reported previously from the United States, Europe, and Korea with respect to age at onset (two decades younger in the other cohort) and gender composition (60% to 100% female in the other cohort). We conclude that in one of the largest cohorts of ai-TTP with severe deficiency of ADAMTS13 activity reported to date, demographic characteristics differ in Japanese patients relative to those reported from a large Caucasian registry from Western societies. Additional studies exploring these findings are needed.     

Histological Reassessment of Three Kidneys Originally Described by Richard Bright in 1827-36

Portions of kidney from three patients with renal disease that were originally described by Richard Bright between 1827 and 1836 have been preserved in the Gordon Museum at Guy''s Hospital. Histological study has shown that two cases fall into the current diagnostic category of mesangiocapillary (membranoproliferative) glomerulonephritis. One of these patients had a five-year clinical history and died with chronic renal failure and uraemia. The other patient died after three to four months with a severe nephrotic syndrome. The third patient was a young woman with chronic “phthisis pulmonalis” and renal amyloidosis.     

儿童过敏性紫癜的临床特点及其肾损害的相关因素分析

摘要目的：总结儿童过敏性紫癜的临床特点,并分析其肾损害的相关因素。方法：选择2006年2月~2012年8月我院小儿科诊治的过敏性紫癜患儿86例,根据是否伴有肾脏损害分为观察组（34例）和对照组（52例）,分析两组患者的一般临床资料,总结儿童过敏性紫癜的临床特点,并探讨导致儿童过敏性紫癜并发肾损害的相关因素。结果：（1）儿童过敏性紫癜的诱因包括感染、过敏、疫苗接种、寄生虫病史及其它原因,其中感染比例最高,占66．28％;首发症状包括紫癜、腹痛及关节痛的一种或多种,其中紫癜比例最高,占59．30％。（2）观察组患儿中年龄≥8Y、皮疹反复≥4w及血FIB升高的比例分别为73．53％（25／34）、52．94％（18／34）和26．47％（9／34）,均显著高于对照组患儿（P〈0．05）,非条件Logistic多元回归分析结果示皮疹反复≥4W及血FⅢ升高为过敏性紫癜患儿发生肾脏损伤的危险因素。结论：儿童过敏性紫癜的主要诱因为感染,典型临床表现为紫癜,皮疹反复芝4w及血FIB升高为过敏性紫癜患儿发生肾脏损伤的危险因素。     

低剂量多巴胺对急性心衰合并肾功能不全患者的影响

目的:探讨低剂量多巴胺能否通过利尿作用改善急性左心衰患者的充血症状以及肾功能。方法:将2013年9月至2013年12月我院收治的80例急性心衰合并肾功能不全的患者随机分为对照组和治疗组,每组各40例。对照组给予常规治疗,治疗组在常规治疗的基础上加用小剂量多巴胺静脉泵入48小时。观察和比较两组患者48小时内的总尿量及血清胱抑素C的变化、充血症状、肾功能及临床疗效的差异。结果:与对照组相比,治疗组48小时总尿量、血清胱抑素C的变化、体重变化、BNP变化、肌酐变化、进展性心衰发生率、死亡率、治疗失败患者比例均无明显差异(P0.05)。结论:低剂量多巴胺不能在利尿治疗基础上减轻急性心力衰竭并发肾功能不全患者的充血症状或改善肾功能。     

Removal of amantadine hydrochloride by dialysis in patients with renal insufficiency.

Two patients with Parkinson''s disease and renal insufficiency had excessively high concentrations of amantadine hydrochloride in the blood. The amounts of the drug removed by hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis were small. However, since extrarenal elimination is negligible in such patients, frequently repeated dialysis may be required to remove the drug.     

Purpura and dermal thinning associated with high dose inhaled corticosteroids.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the effect of high dose inhaled corticosteroids on skin. DESIGN--Cross sectional study of patients receiving treatment for chest diseases. SETTING--Outpatient chest clinic in a teaching hospital. PATIENTS--68 Patients divided into four groups of similar age--namely, 15 receiving long term oral prednisolone, 21 receiving high dose inhaled corticosteroids, 15 receiving low dose inhaled corticosteroids, and 17 controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Skin thickness at three sites measured by A scan ultrasound and clinical assessment of purpura. RESULTS--Compared with controls patients in both the oral prednisolone treated group and the high dose inhaled corticosteroid treated group had significantly thinner skin at all three sites (group median thicknesses: prednisolone treated group 28-33% less than controls; high dose inhaled corticosteroid treated group 15-19% less than controls). Differences in skin thicknesses between the low dose inhaled corticosteroid treated group and the controls were trivial. The prevalence of purpura was significantly greater in patients receiving oral prednisolone (12/15 patients) and high dose inhaled corticosteroids (10/21) than in controls (2/17). CONCLUSION--Skin thinning and purpura represent further evidence of systemic effects of high dose inhaled corticosteroids.     

Selective effect of low protein diets in chronic renal diseases.

It has recently been established that the rate of progression of chronic renal failure in man can be slowed by restricting dietary protein. Consequently, the short term and long term effects of a low protein diet on the course of different chronic nephropathies were studied in an attempt to delineate the factors that determine the response to such a diet. When a low protein diet was given for six months renal function improved significantly in nine patients with chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis (p less than 0.025); the diet had a marginally beneficial effect in 12 patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (p less than 0.05) and no effect in nine with hypertensive nephrosclerosis. The heterogeneous functional response in the patients with chronic glomerulonephritis correlated closely with the effect of the diet on these patients'' proteinuria (r = 0.76, p less than 0.01). In a short term study (four weeks) of 12 patients with chronic renal failure changes in renal plasma flow were proportional to dietary protein intake. Renal vascular resistance fell during a high protein diet and increased when dietary protein was restricted. The changes in renal plasma flow during the low protein diet correlated well with the patients'' long term functional response to the diet (r = 0.76, p less than 0.01). It is concluded that the response to a low protein diet in chronic renal failure is determined, firstly, by the nature of the underlying nephropathy, with maximal benefit being observed in non-glomerular disorders; secondly, by the effect of the diet on the proteinuria in chronic glomerulonephritis; and, thirdly, by the haemodynamic response to the diet, with patients with a reactive renal vascular bed improving with a low protein diet.     

Management of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (excluding miliary and meningeal) in south and west Wales (1976-8).

In a retrospective survey of the management of extrapulmonary tuberculosis lymph node and genitourinary tuberculosis were found more commonly than bone and joint or gynaecological disease. Only 29% of patients received 18 moths'' chemotherapy while 31% received nine to 12 months'' treatment with rifampicin and isoniazid regimens and 34% had short-course chemotherapy with other regimens. Five patients were not offered any chemotherapy after diagnosis, and in five patients the diagnosis was overlooked because of administrative errors. One patient died from tuberculosis (renal). Poor drug compliance appeared less of a problem than in pulmonary tuberculosis. Only 14% of patients had their disease managed solely by consultants who were not specialists in chest disease. Liaison with a chest consultant did not necessarily ensure chemotherapy for 18 moths.