Zuzana Rihova

Long-Term Outcome of Patients with Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody-Associated Vasculitis with Renal Involvement

Background: Despite treatment, renal involvement in antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-positive vasculitis is still associated with significant long-term mortality and remains an important cause of end-stage renal failure. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a series of 61 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed ANCA-associated renal vasculitis (54.1% Wegener’s granulomatosis, 23% renal-limited vasculitis, 16.4% microscopic polyangiitis, 4.9% Churg-Strauss syndrome) diagnosed between 1986 and 1997. Results: The median creatinine level at diagnosis was 221.5 (63–762) µmol/l, i.e. 2.5 (0.7–8.6) mg/dl, 32.8% were dialysis-dependent. All patients were treated with cyclophosphamide. Remission was achieved in 87% of patients. Relapses occurred in 44.7%. The median renal disease-free interval was 62.5 (0–138) months. The estimated patient survival at 5 and 10 years was 78.3 and 62.2%, respectively. Mortality was associated with age (p = 0.04 when age limit 50 years) and advanced renal failure (p = 0.038 when compared dialysis-dependent and independent patients). Estimated renal survival time at 5 and 10 years was 69.2 and 55.8%, respectively. At the end of follow-up, 50.8% of patients were in complete remission, 31% had died. The median serum creatinine level was 137.5 (77–469) µmol/l, i.e. 1.56 (0.87–5.3) mg/dl, 24.6% of patients were on regular dialysis treatment. Conclusion: Patient survival, relapse rate and mortality were comparable to similar reports. In view of the severity of the renal disease and the length of follow-up, renal survival was very good. Despite effective treatment, the long-term outcome of patients with ANCA-associated renal vasculitis remains unsatisfactory.

Silica and Asbestos Exposure in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis with Pulmonary Involvement

Silica and asbestos exposure are thought to belong to the triggering factors of antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. We carried out a study to find out whether patients with pulmonary involvement attributable to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) have been exposed to silicon-containing materials. Thirty-one patients (12 women, 19 men, median age 51 years) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Occupational exposure to silicon-containing chemicals was reported by 22.6% of the patients (12.9% to SiO2, 9.7% to asbestos), compared with 0% of control subjects (p < 0.05). Our findings support the pathophysiologic role of silica in AAV.

Treatment of lupus nephritis with cyclosporine - an outcome analysis.

Background: The optimal therapy for lupus nephritis (LN), including the role of cyclosporine (CsA), still lacks scientifically valid clinical experience. We evaluated the efficacy of CsA in the induction and maintenance treatment of patients with biopsy-proven LN. Patients and Methods: A total of 31 patients (25 women, 6 men, mean age 29.5 years) were enrolled in the study. The majority had proliferative LN. The mean follow-up was 85.6 ± 24.7 months. Results: CsA was used as first-line treatment in 38.7% of patients and as second-line treatment in 61.3% of patients. Complete remission was achieved in 93.5% of patients. The relapse rate was 45.2%. The mean disease-free interval was 33 months. At the end of follow-up, a total of 67.9% of the patients were in remission. The treatment led to significant improvement in proteinuria (p = 0.001) and stabilization of renal function. Conclusion: CsA might be an appropriate and a less toxic alternative drug for LN both as a first-choice and rescue therapy.

Secondary membranous nephropathy--one center experience.

Introduction. Secondary membranous nephropathy (MN) is most commonly seen in the setting of autoimmune disease, infection, and neoplasia, and with certain therapeutic agents. The aim of our study was to analyze the presenting features and outcome of the patients with secondary MN. Patients and Methods. We retrospectively studied patients with secondary MN diagnosed between the years 1991–2002. In this period, we performed a total of 1874 renal biopsies. MN was diagnosed in 129 cases. Results. In 40 patients (31%), an underlying primary cause was verified (70% women, 30% men, median age 49.5 years). In 18 patients (45%), the disease was drug induced, 11 patients (27.5%) had autoimmune disease, seven patients (17.5%) solid tumors, three patients (7.5%) hepatitis B, and one patient was diagnosed with both hepatitis B and prostate carcinoma. At presentation, median proteinuria was 4.09 g/24 h; 60% were nephrotic. Most of the patients had normal renal function with a median serum creatinine 79 µmol/L and a median GFR 1.285 ml/s. The patients were treated according to the underlying disease. At the end of the follow-up, the patients with drug-induced MN were in complete remission after the discontinuation of the drug. The patients with autoimmune disease were treated with immunosuppression, most of them with very good results. The outcome of the patients with neoplasia was much worse. Conclusion. A thorough and repeated exclusion of secondary forms of MN has significant prognostic and therapeutic implications, especially in drug-induced and autoimmune MN.

Influence of the Alpha-Adducin and ACE Gene Polymorphism on the Progression of Autosomal-Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background: A significant phenotypical variability is observed in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The variability can not be fully explained by the genetic heterogenity of the disease. We examined the influence of the ACE I/D polymorphism, adducin Trp460Gly polymorphism and the association of both polymorphisms on the progression of ADPKD towards end-stage renal failure (ESRF). Methods: 320 ADPKD patients (pts) were analyzed, 220 pts (113 males, 107 females) with ESRF before 63 years of age, with a subgroup (rapid progressors) of 20 pts (12 males, 8 females) with ESRF before 40 years of age, 52 pts (23 males, 29 females) with ESRF later than 63 years of age (slow progressors), 48 ADPKD pts (18 males, 30 females) with mean age ±50 years with serum creatinine <110 µmol/l (slow progressors) and 200 genetically unrelated healthy Czech subjects. DNA samples from collected blood were genotyped for the ACE I/D polymorphism and the Trp460Gly of α-adducin gene polymorphism. Results: The α-adducin genotypes showed no differences among the groups of slow progressors (74% Gly/Gly, 22.9% Gly/Trp and 3.1% Trp/Trp), pts with ESRF before 63 years of age (67.7% Gly/Gly, 30.5% Gly/Trp and 1.8% Trp/Trp) and rapid progressors (75% Gly/Gly, 25% Gly/Trp). The ACE genotypes did not differ among the groups of slow progressors (27.1% I/I, 44.8% I/D and 28.1% D/D), pts with ESRF before 63 years of age (23.6% I/I, 51.4% I/D and 25% D/D) and rapid progressors (20% I/I, 55% I/D and 25% D/D). The distribution did not differ from the control group. The ages of ESRF according to different genotypes did not significantly differ. We observed a significant tendency to better prognosis in Trp allele carriers for I/I genotype in comparison with Gly/Gly homozygous subjects. Conclusion: The ACE and α-adducin polymorphisms do not play a significant role in the progression of ADPKD to ESRF.

Intracellular cytokine production in ANCA-associated vasculitis: low levels of interleukin-10 in remission are associated with a higher relapse rate in the long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Dysregulation of cell-mediated immune response likely plays a role in the pathogenesis of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), but it has not yet been fully established. The aim of this study was to assess the intracellular cytokine production in patients with AAV at different stages of the disease, in particular, in relation to the long-term prognosis. METHODS We included 69 patients with AAV and 24 healthy controls. Using flow cytometry, the following intracellular cytokines (IC) were measured in all patients: interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-2 and interleukin-4 in CD3+T cells and interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interleukin 12 (IL-12) in monocytes. Patients were then prospectively followed for a median of 43 months and cytokine production was related to the long-term prognosis. RESULTS When compared to healthy controls, increased IL-12 production was observed in AAV patients, both active (p<0.01) and in remission (p<0.05). In remission, increased IFN-gamma production was also found (p<0.01). IL-10 production was higher in active patients than in patients in remission (p<0.05) but did not differ from controls. Patients in remission who developed a relapse during follow-up had significantly lower IL-10 production than those without relapse (p<0.01). Results of this prospective study of IC production in AAV confirm findings of previous studies measuring circulating cytokine levels. CONCLUSIONS Activation of the immune system in AAV patients is noticeable even in remission. Patients with AAV display increased IL-12 production, which seems to be counterbalanced by IL-10. Low IL-10 levels in remission are associated with a higher relapse rate in the long-term follow-up.

The Influence of the Endothelin-Converting Enzyme-1 Gene Polymorphism on the Progression of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background. A significant phenotypical variability is observed in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the most common renal hereditary disease. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been suggested to be an important disease-promoting factor of the kidney. Endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) is the main protease responsible for ET-1 generation by cleavage of its functionally inactive precursor. We examined the influence of the ECE-1b C-338A polymorphism on the progression of ADPKD toward end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The A allele was suggested to be associated with higher plasma level of ET-1. Methods. 200 ADPKD patients (107 males, 93 females) who had reached ESRD were analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: (1) 47 patients (23 males, 24 females) with ESRD later than in 63 yr (slow progressors); (2) 71 patients (38 males, 33 females) with ESRD before 45 yr (rapid progressors); and (3) 82 patients (46 males, 36 females) with ESRD between 45–63 yr. Moreover, we analyzed 160 genetically unrelated healthy Czech subjects as the control group (82 males, 78 females, mean age 51.4 ± 8.2 yr). DNA samples from collected blood were genotyped for ECE-1b C-338A polymorphism using described polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction enzyme digestion. We compared the frequencies of different genotypes between the groups of slow and rapid progressors and the ages of ESRD with regard to different genotypes. Results. The ECE-1b C-338A genotype distribution showed no differences among the groups of slow progressors, rapid progressors, ADPKD group with ESRD between 45–63 yr and control group. Comparing the ages of ESRD of all patients, we did not find significant differences in the ages with regard to different genotypes: CC (51.5 ± 10.1 yr), AC (51.6 ± 11.4 yr), AA (48.2 ± 5.9 yr). There was a tendency to lower age of ESRD in AA homozygotes in comparison with other genotypes (t-test, p = 0.12). We found no influence of gender. Conclusion. We excluded the effect of ECE-1b C-338A polymorphism on the progression of ADPKD. We could observe a mild tendency toward faster decline of renal function in AA homozygous individuals.