单倍体相合异基因造血干细胞移植治疗白血病

背景：对于无HLA全相合同胞供者的患者,采用单倍体相合造血干细胞移植面临移植物抗宿主病重、移植相关死亡率高的风险,但通过不同的移植模式,将有可能获取相近的疗效。 目的：观察亲缘HLA单倍体相合异基因造血干细胞移植治疗白血病的疗效,并与亲缘HLA全相合异基因造血干细胞移植相比较。 方法：45例白血病患者分为2组。单倍体组移植方式为外周血或联合骨髓干细胞移植,预处理方案为改良白消安与环磷酰胺或加抗胸腺细胞球蛋白,移植物抗宿主病的预防采用环孢素A+甲氨蝶呤+霉酚酸脂;全相合组移植方式为外周血干细胞移植,预处理方案为BuCY,移植物抗宿主病的预防采用环孢素A+甲氨蝶呤。 结果与结论：两组均获得造血重建时间差异无显著性意义。单倍体及全相合组急性移植物抗宿主病的累积发病率分别为73%对52%(P > 0.05);慢性移植物抗宿主病的累积发病率分别为56%对45%(P > 0.05);移植相关死亡率分别为36%对17%(P > 0.05);单倍体组无复发,全相合组复发2例;两组的预计3年累积无病生存率分别为61%对60%(P > 0.05)。结果提示,亲缘单倍体异基因造血干细胞移植的总体疗效与亲缘全相合异基因造血干细胞移植相似,但中重度急性移植物抗宿主病的发生率较后者为高。     

异基因外周血造血干细胞移植治疗白血病*

背景：异基因外周血造血干细胞移植是治疗白血病的有效手段。 目的：比较血缘与非血缘供者异基因外周血造血干细胞移植治疗白血病的造血重建、免疫重建、感染、移植物抗宿主病及疗效。 方法：选择接受异基因外周血造血干细胞移植治疗的白血病患者45例,其中30例患者接受血缘供者造血干细胞移植(血缘组),15例患者接受非血缘供者造血干细胞移植(非血缘组)。 结果与结论：①造血重建：血缘组白细胞和血小板重建时间均快于非血缘组(P < 0.05)。在移植后30~40 d植活证据指标测定提示异体造血干细胞在受者体内完全植活。②T细胞重建：两组移植后各时间点T细胞重建差异无显著性意义。③感染发生率：两组移植后早期感染发生率,急、慢性移植物抗宿主病发生率差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05)。④白血病复发：两组移植后复发率差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05)。⑤无病生存：两组移植后2年无病生存率差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05)。表明血缘供者异基因外周血造血干细胞移植后的造血重建较非血缘供者迅速,但两者间移植后T细胞重建、感染发生率、移植物抗宿主病及无病生存并无差异。      

异基因造血干细胞移植治疗24例重型再生障碍性贫血北大核心

背景:重型再生障碍性贫血病情重、病死率高,需快速恢复造血功能,目前异基因造血干细胞移植为一线治疗方案,同胞全相合异基因造血干细胞移植为首选,单倍体相合造血干细胞移植作为替代治疗方案也取得了较好的效果。目的:探讨异基因造血干细胞移植(包括同胞全相合造血干细胞移植及单倍体相合造血干细胞移植)治疗重型再生障碍性贫血的临床疗效。方法:回顾性分析2015年4月至2021年7月于徐州市中心医院接受异基因造血干细胞移植治疗24例重型再生障碍性贫血患者的临床资料,其中接受同胞全相合造血干细胞移植8例,接受单倍体相合造血干细胞移植16例。24例重型再生障碍性贫血患者预处理方案为氟达拉滨、环磷酰胺、抗淋巴细胞球蛋白方案。同胞全相合造血干细胞移植采用环孢素联合短程甲氨蝶呤预防移植物抗宿主病,单倍体相合造血干细胞移植在此基础上增加吗替麦考酚酯。结果与结论:①24例重型再生障碍性贫血患者中有2例患者预处理期间死于严重感染,其余22例均达造血重建;中性粒细胞植入中位时间为12.5(10-18)d,血小板植入中位时间为14.5(10-26)d;②22例植入成功患者发生急性移植物抗宿主病8例(36%),Ⅲ/Ⅳ度急性移植物抗宿主病2例,慢性移植物抗宿主病累计发生4例(18%),Ⅲ/Ⅳ度慢性移植物抗宿主病1例;③18例患者存活,6例患者死亡,5年预计总生存率为74%;④结果表明,异基因造血干细胞移植为重型再生障碍性贫血的有效治疗手段,同胞全合供者作为首选,无同胞全相合供者时可选择单倍体相合供者作为替代。     

脐带来源间充质干细胞治疗异基因造血干细胞移植后慢性移植物抗宿主病

背景:间充质干细胞具有免疫调节作用,在治疗急性移植物抗宿主病中已取得成功,但是在治疗慢性移植物抗宿主病中,特别是肺部慢性移植物抗宿主病的研究报道还很少。目的:评价脐带间充质干细胞治疗造血干细胞移植后慢性移植物抗宿主病的效果。方法:10例接受异基因干细胞移植治疗患者,明确诊断为慢性移植物抗宿主病,常规免疫抑制治疗无效,给予脐带间充质干细胞治疗,每个治疗剂量2×107个细胞,每次1或2个剂量,每2周治疗1次,根据疗效标准评价疗效。结果与结论:4例肺部慢性移植物抗宿主病患者3例显效,2例皮肤型慢性移植物抗宿主病患者1例进步,1例显效;4例肝脏排斥患者2例显效,2例无效,治疗总有效率70%(7/10)。结果表明脐带间充质干细胞治疗难治性慢性移植物抗宿主病是一个有效的疗法。     

非亲缘供者异基因造血干细胞移植治疗恶性血液病15例

背景：异基因造血干细胞移植是治愈恶性血液病的主要方法,但中国多为单子女家庭,因此探索非亲缘供者异基因造血干细胞移植的治疗效果及并发症防治具有重要的意义。 目的：观察非亲缘供者异基因造血干细胞移植治疗15例恶性血液病的疗效和相关并发症。 方法：15例恶性血液病患者接受非血缘关系异基因造血干细胞移植治疗。所有患者均采用经典或改良的马利兰联合环磷酰胺预处理方案。4例采用环孢素A+短程甲氨蝶呤+麦考酚吗乙酯预防移植物抗宿主病,另11例患者同时加用抗胸腺细胞球蛋白。输注供者有核细胞中位数为6.3×108/kg,CD34+细胞中位数为3.1×106/kg。 结果与结论：除1例移植后早期死亡不能评估外,其余14例经检测均证实植活。发生急性移植物抗宿主病Ⅰ度5例,Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ度各1例;慢性局限性移植物抗宿主病8例。发生肺部真菌感染5例,巨细胞病毒病毒血症3例,带状疱疹病毒感染2例,出血性膀胱炎6例。15例患者中目前无病存活10例,生存期为5个月~11年。结果提示非血缘关系异基因造血干细胞移植是安全且可行的,治疗恶性血液病疗效良好,降低移植相关并发症已成为非血缘关系异基因造血干细胞移植需解决的首要问题。     

HLA单倍体与全相合异基因造血干细胞移植治疗恶性血液病

背景：异基因造血干细胞移植是治疗恶性血液病的一种非常有效的方法。单倍体相合的造血干细胞移植扩大了移植的应用范围,是无HLA相合供者患者的一种重要选择。 目的：比较HLA单倍体相合与全相合异基因造血干细胞移植治疗恶性血液病的临床疗效。 方法：回顾性分析接受异基因造血干细胞移植79例恶性血液病患者的临床资料,其中HLA单倍体相合组26例、全相合组53例,对比两组受者移植物抗宿主病的发生率、复发率、2年生存率等。 结果与结论：78例受者获得完全、持久供者干细胞植入;1例受者在移植后28 d尚未植入,后因感染死亡。两组慢性移植物抗宿主病发生率、复发率和2年无病生存率差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05)。单倍体相合组急性移植物抗宿主病发生率高于全相合组(P < 0.05);2年总生存率低于全相合组(P < 0.05)。提示血缘HLA单倍体相合移植治疗恶性血液病的安全性及疗效接近于全相合移植,在缺乏HLA相合供者的情况下,行HLA单倍体相合造血干细胞移植治疗恶性血液病是切实可行的选择。     

HLA单倍体相合与全相合外周血造血干细胞移植后的急性移植物抗宿主病

背景：异基因外周血造血干细胞移植成为造血干细胞移植的主要方式,近年来HLA单倍体相合造血干细胞移植因供者来源广泛在临床应用较多,急性移植物抗宿主病仍是影响移植成功率的主要因素。 目的：观察亲缘HLA单倍体相合与全相合异基因外周血造血干细胞移植后急性移植物抗宿主病的发生特点,探讨降低急性移植物抗宿主病发生率的方法及单倍体造血干细胞移植应用于临床的意义。 方法：行异基因外周血造血干细胞移植的患者52例,其中HLA全相合组31例,单倍体组21例。HLA单倍体组采用改良马利兰/环磷酰胺+兔抗人胸腺T细胞免疫球蛋白预处理方案,HLA全相合组采用改良马利兰/环磷酰胺预处理方案。移植物抗宿主病的预防采用短程甲氨蝶呤+环孢素A+吗替麦考酚酯的方案。 结果与结论：52例患者均获得完全持久干细胞植入。其中,急性移植物抗宿主病发病率为48%(25/52),Ⅲ-Ⅳ度急性移植物抗宿主病发病率为23%(12/52);全相合组及单倍体组急性移植物抗宿主病累积发病率分别为39%(12/31)和62%(13/21)(P > 0.05);全相合组及单倍体组Ⅲ-Ⅳ度急性移植物抗宿主病累积发病率分别为10%(3/31)和43%(9/21)(P < 0.05);发生于移植后+30 d、+31 d-+60 d、+61 d-+100 d的急性移植物抗宿主病类型分布差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05);发生在移植后+30 d内的急性移植物抗宿主病发生率高于移植后   +31 d-+60 d和+61 d-+100 d;发生急性移植物抗宿主病组和无急性移植物抗宿主病组复发率、2年无病生存率差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05),全相合组与单倍体组相比复发率差异无显著性意义(P > 0.05),2年无病生存率前者高于后者(P < 0.05)。说明采用上述移植方案,单倍体组安全性与疗效接近全相合组;在缺乏HLA相合供者时,单倍体造血干细胞移植是治疗恶性血液病的重要方法。中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：干细胞;骨髓干细胞;造血干细胞;脂肪干细胞;肿瘤干细胞;胚胎干细胞;脐带脐血干细胞;干细胞诱导;干细胞分化;组织工程全文链接：     

免疫耐受新方法单倍型造血干细胞移植治疗重型再生障碍性贫血

背景：异基因造血干细胞移植是根治重型再生障碍性贫血的有效手段,尤其单倍型造血干细胞移植是具有中国特色的移植体系,在国际上处于领先水平。 目的：探索免疫耐受新方法单倍型异基因造血干细胞移植治疗重型再生障碍性贫血的模式,解决移植后排斥和移植物抗宿主病问题。 方法：解放军北京军区总医院血液科在2013年4月至2014年5月期间采用单倍型供者造血干细胞移植治疗重型再生障碍性贫血患者12例,单倍型供者采集经动员的骨髓及外周血干细胞,预处理方案中给予环磷酰胺400 mg/m2,连续用3 d,移植后+3 d用环磷酰胺诱导免疫耐受,剂量为50 mg/kg。 结果与结论：粒细胞植活中位时间17(13-21) d,血小板植活中位时间21(15-31) d。全部患者移植后发生Ⅱ度急性移植物抗宿主病1例,慢性广泛性移植物抗宿主病1例,经治疗后控制。所有存活患者最少随访时间在6个月以上,中位随访时间11个月,死亡2例,其中1例死于排斥反应,另1例死于肺部严重感染,其余10例随访期间生存。结果表明诱导免疫耐受新方法单倍型造血干细胞移植可减少移植物抗宿主病和移植相关病死率,取得了显著成效。 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：干细胞;骨髓干细胞;造血干细胞;脂肪干细胞;肿瘤干细胞;胚胎干细胞;脐带脐血干细胞;干细胞诱导;干细胞分化;组织工程     

血浆生物标记物水平与儿童急性移植物抗宿主病的相关性

背景:急性移植物抗宿主病是造血干细胞移植最主要的并发症之一,也是影响移植成败的关键,寻找其特异性生物学标记物对于疾病的早期诊断及治疗尤为重要.婴幼儿时期免疫功能不完善,其急性移植物抗宿主病发生后血浆生物标记物的变化有其自身特点.目的:研究异基因造血干细胞移植儿童患者血浆可溶性生长刺激表达基因2、胰岛再生衍生因子3α、肿...     

亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植联合甲磺酸伊马替尼治疗Ph阳性白血病

背景:造血干细胞移植是可以治愈Ph+白血病有效方法,甲磺酸伊马替尼是一种高度特异的酪氨酸激酶抑制剂,能抑制BCR/ABL酪氨酸激酶活性,在Ph+白血病中的应用越来越多。目的:探讨甲磺酸伊马替尼联合亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植治疗Ph+白血病的临床疗效。方法:回顾性分析2011年1月至2012年10月采用亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植联合甲磺酸伊马替尼治疗12例Ph+白血病的疗效并文献复习。结果与结论:12例患者移植后均获得造血重建,移植后中性粒细胞和血小板植活的中位时间分别为15 d和18 d;发生Ⅱ度急性移植物抗宿主病7例,Ⅲ度急性移植物抗宿主病1例,局限型慢性移植物抗宿主病7例,广泛型慢性移植物抗宿主病3例;无白血病存活率为67%,移植相关死亡率为25%。行HLA匹配亲缘造血干细胞移植者的总体存活率为75.0%。平均无病生存8.5个月(7-17个月),BCR/ABL转阴时间2-5个月。亲缘异基因造血干细胞移植前、后联合甲磺酸伊马替尼治疗Ph+白血病,具有降低移植前白血病细胞负荷,抑制残留白血病细胞增殖,促进供者完全嵌合状态的转变,是一种安全有效的治疗方法。     

Membranous nephropathy after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a patient with aplastic anemia: a case report

Nephrotic syndrome has been described as one of the clinical forms of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), but a limited number of cases have been described. We experienced a young female patient with nephrotic syndrome developed 22 months after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for severe aplastic anemia. She had been well after successful management for gut-limited cGVHD until she developed a clinical nephrotic syndrome with hypoalbuminemia of 2.0 g/dL and 24-hr urine protein of 6.88 g/dL. On physical examination and laboratory findings, there was no other evidence of cGVHD. Clinical and renal biopsy findings were consistent with cGVHD-related membranous nephropathy, and immunosuppressive agents with cyclosporine and prednisone were prescribed. After 3 month of treatment, the proteinuria decreased to normal range; and the patient from nephrotic syndrome nearly recovered. We recommend cGVHD-related glomerulonephritis should be considered in all patients with hypoalbuminemia following allogeneic HSCT, even if there is no other evidence of clinical GVHD.     

Membranous nephropathy related to hepatitis B virus in adults

BACKGROUND. The natural course of adult hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related membranous nephropathy in areas where HBV infection is endemic (characterized by vertical and horizontal transmission of HBV in early childhood) has not been fully defined. METHODS. We evaluated the clinical features, pathological findings, serologic profiles, therapeutic responses, and prognoses of 21 patients with adult-onset HBV-related membranous nephropathy. The patients were followed for a mean of 60 months (range, 12 to 108). Only patients with evidence of glomerular capillary deposition of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in a renal-biopsy specimen were included. RESULTS. The clinical features and serologic studies suggested that the patients had acquired chronic HBV infection in early childhood; moreover, other causes of membranous nephropathy had been excluded. All were seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen and had high titers of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen at first clinical presentation. HBeAg was detected in the serum of 17 patients (81 percent), yet only 3 had even slightly increased plasma alanine aminotransferase levels. The clinical response to therapy with interferon alfa was disappointing; only one of the five patients treated had a complete remission with seroconversion to antibody to HBeAg. Contrary to reports of studies in children, spontaneous remission of the nephrotic syndrome or proteinuria was uncommon in the adults with HBV-related membranous nephropathy whom we studied. Proteinuria and HBV antigenemia persisted in untreated patients. During the follow-up period, 29 percent of the patients had progressive renal failure and 10 percent required maintenance dialysis therapy. CONCLUSIONS. The course of HBV-related membranous nephropathy in adults in areas where HBV is endemic is not benign. Regardless of treatment, the disease has a slowly but relentlessly progressive clinical course in approximately one third of patients.     

肾移植后肾坏死与肾移植排斥反应的病理学表现与变化

背景：肾移植后受者定期行移植肾组织活检,在移植肾出现问题的早期进行正确的病理诊断,选择合适的治疗,是使移植肾长期存活的关键。 目的：总结肾移植后肾坏死与肾移植排斥反应的病理学表现与变化。 方法：由作者应用计算机检索维普数据库、Pubmed数据库中与肾移植后肾坏死与肾移植排斥反应有关的文献,检索时限为1998-01/2009-10。对资料进行初审,并查看每篇文献后的引文。 结果与结论：共16篇文献符合标准。移植后慢性肾脏损害的病理类型包括慢性排斥反应,系膜病变,新月体肾炎,膜性肾病,Ig肾病,溶血性尿毒综合征。移植后慢性肾脏损害最常见的病理类型为慢性排斥反应,与慢性排斥反应相关的因素可能包括：供肾年龄,急性排斥反应发生率,移植肾功能延迟恢复及CMV感染。高血压和蛋白尿对移植肾的远期预后也有重要影响。移植肾的病理改变复杂多样,结合移植肾穿刺病理活检结果和临床分析进行准确诊断,成功率高、安全性好,对肾移植后难以根据临床化验资料作出准确判断肾脏损害及治疗方案的选择有着重要的指导意义。     

Non-diabetic renal disease in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

The diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) is almost always based on clinical grounds. The diagnosis is supported by a long history of diabetes, evidence of target organ damage and proteinuria preceding azotemia. The validity of this clinical approach is well established in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus but not in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). It is thus important to determine which patients with NIDDM accompanied by non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD) should have a biopsy. However, factors clinically associated with NDRD in patients with NIDDM remain unclear. Therefore we reviewed clinical data, laboratory data and renal biopsies from 22 NIDDM patients who underwent renal biopsy between 1992 and 1998 in Wonju Christian Hospital. From this data, we identified important features that would discriminate between DN and NDRD. There were 8 women and 14 men. Age ranged from 33 to 68 (51.2 +/- 10.7) years. The duration of diabetes at biopsy ranged from 0 to 13 (4.2 +/- 4.2) years. Nephrotic syndrome was present in 13 patients. The patients with NDRD (n = 14) and DN (n = 8) had comparable 24-hour proteinuria, 24-hour albuminuria, creatinine clearance, serum creatinine, albumin, as well as incidences of neuropathy and hypertension. The significant factors that predict the NDRD included a short duration of the diabetes mellitus, the presence of dysmorphic red blood cells in urine, the absence of retinopathy and HbA1c below 9% (p < 0.05, respectively). NDRD included IgA nephropathy (n = 6), minimal change disease (n = 3), membranous nephropathy (n = 3), membranous lupus nephritis (n = 1) and acute interstitial nephritis (n = 1). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the short duration of DM and the absence of retinopathy were factors significantly associated with NDRD. In summary, when there is a short duration of diabetes mellitus, or an absence of retinopathy seen in patients with NIDDM, then renal biopsy in diabetic patients aids in the detection of NDRD.     

2013~2017年我院402例肾活检临床病理分析

目的 分析北部湾沿海钦州地区肾脏疾病临床及病理特点。方法 对广西钦州市第一人民医院2013年~2017年共402例肾活检患者的临床和病理资料进行回顾性分析。结果 402例肾活检患者,原发性肾小球疾病(PGN)297例,占73.88%;继发性肾小球疾病(SGN)88例,占21.89%。PGN病理分型中最常见为膜性肾病,其次为微小病变型肾病及IgA肾病,SGN中狼疮性肾炎居于首位,其次为乙肝相关性肾炎。结论 本地区肾活检患者临床表现以肾病综合征为主,PGN最常见的病理类型是膜性肾病,非肾病综合征最常见的病理类型是IgA肾病,本地区无症状尿检异常有肾活检指征患者检出率低。     

Patterns of glomerular injury in kidneys infiltrated by lymphoplasmacytic neoplasms

Glomerular injury may occur as a result of immune dysfunction in patients with remote lymphoplasmacytic neoplasms. Glomerular injury concurrent with direct infiltration of the kidney by lymphoplasmacytic neoplasms has been reported but is not extensively characterized. We identified 18 patients, all presenting with elevated serum creatinine and many with proteinuria, whose renal biopsies showed direct involvement of kidney by a variety of neoplasms, including chronic leukocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (n = 7), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 6), multiple myeloma (n = 4), or B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (n = 1). In 10 cases (55%), there was coexistent glomerular pathology: 5 of these cases, including glomerulonephritis with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis-like pattern of injury (n = 4) and membranous nephropathy (n = 1), featured deposition of immune complexes; 2 demonstrated deposition of monoclonal immunoglobulin components: λ light chain amyloidosis (n = 1) and light chain deposition disease (n = 1); 2 showed minimal change disease; and, in 1 case, there was focal crescentic pauci-immune-type glomerulonephritis. In addition, 1 biopsy revealed diabetic nephropathy and 3 showed nonspecific ischemic changes. In the remaining 4 cases, there were no significant glomerular abnormalities. In 11 cases (61%), the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disease was established following the kidney biopsy. Our study indicates that lymphoplasmacytic neoplasms may be first diagnosed in renal biopsies performed for evaluation of renal dysfunction with or without proteinuria. Concurrent glomerular injury may be a direct result of the lymphoplasmacytic disorder through a paraprotein deposition process resulting in amyloid or monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease, or may be caused indirectly through immune-mediated mechanisms, as in the cases of glomerulonephritis with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis-like pattern of injury, membranous nephropathy, and possibly minimal change disease.     

A survey of diagnosis, management, and grading of chronic GVHD.

Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) is a potentially devastating late complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation. To better understand current diagnostic and treatment practices regarding this complication, we mailed a self-administered survey to 188 adult and pediatric transplantation programs. The survey collected data on experience with therapies for cGVHD and presented 6 vignettes to assess agreement about the diagnosis, clinical management, grading, and prognosis of patients with symptoms of cGVHD. Response rate to the survey was 51%. Of the respondents, 28% felt they had "great success" in treating patients with systemic corticosteroids, and 13% had similar success with cyclosporine or mycophenolate mofetil; less success and experience were reported with other agents. Respondents estimated an average 3-year, nonrelapse mortality of 16% (95% CI, 14%-19%) for patients assessed to have limited disease and 39% (95% CI, 36%-43%) for extensive disease. Analysis of responses to the 6 vignettes showed that agreement was greatest for supportive care issues, willingness to enroll patients in clinical trials, and use of systemic immunosuppression for symptomatic cGVHD. Less agreement was seen for diagnosis and management when cGVHD manifestations were atypical or less severe, the decision of whether to taper immunosuppression in the face of stable symptoms, and for assignment of mild, moderate, or severe cGVHD grades. Most respondents were willing to use systemic immunosuppression to treat symptoms that they believed to be caused by cGVHD, but differences of opinion about cGVHD diagnosis and disease activity resulted in significant practice variation. Low estimates of treatment success were noted and reflected an overall pessimism about the success of therapy for cGVHD. We conclude that studies defining appropriate diagnostic pathways, criteria for disease activity, and prognosis could help standardize management of cGVHD. There is an urgent need to develop and test new approaches to treat cGVHD.     

Membranous nephropathy associated with spinal schwannoma.

Clinical cure was effected in a patient with biopsy-proven membranous nephropathy associated with spinal schwannoma. The renal manifestation of nephrotic syndrome antedated the clinical presentation of the spinal tumor. The proteinuria and edema subsided 4 mths after the complete resection of the intradural component and partial removal of the extradural component of the schwannoma. Careful workup in patients with membranous nephropathy should include not only malignant but also benign tumors.     

Mesangial electron-dense deposits in membranous nephropathy

In the absence of lupus, mesangial electron-dense deposits in membranous nephropathy are thought to be uncommon. In this study 18 renal biopsies of 16 cases seen over a 2-year period were evaluated by light and electron microscopy and immunofluorescence, directing particular attention to the mesangium. Lupus had been excluded in every instance by the usual serologic tests. In seven of the 18 biopsies, mesangial electron-dense deposits were found. Clinically, almost all of these patients were characterized by atypical features: five patients had underlying diseases which have been associated with membranous nephropathy (renal vein thrombosis, epidermoid carcinoma of the lung, SH-antigenemia, rheumatic heart disease and penicillamine therapy); there was one instance of spontaneous remission and another patient who progressed to terminal renal failure in less than 2 years. The results suggest that the presence of mesangial deposits in membranous nephropathy may be more common than has previously been suspected. This finding is not necessarily associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and may indicate an unusual or atypical form of membranous nephropathy.     

Lupus Nephritis

Effective treatment of lupus nephritis requires an understanding of disease pathogenesis, risk stratification by World Health Organization (WHO) classification and therapeutic options. Mesangial lupus nephropathy is generally associated with an excellent prognosis, whereas proliferative lupus nephropathy, especially the diffuse variant, is often characterised by hypertension, red blood cell casts and significant deterioration of renal function. Nephrotic syndrome in the absence of hypertension, active urinary sediment or significant hypocomplementaemia suggests the membranous variant of lupus nephropathy. Membranous nephropathy generally confers a good prognosis. However, persistent nephrotic range proteinuria may be accompanied by loss of renal function and end stage renal disease. Glucocorticoids, usually prednisone or methylprednisolone, remain the most effective, rapidly acting immunomodulatory therapy for both the initial episode or recurrence of active renal disease. A role for cyclophosphamide in the treatment of lupus nephritis has been established in prospective, randomised trials. The benefits of intravenous cyclophosphamide were seen in groups of patients failing prednisone, establishing cyclophosphamide as salvage or rescue therapy for patients unresponsive to glucocorticoids. Additional therapeutic strategies include azathioprine, cyclosporin, and plasmapheresis. Ancillary management can consist of hypertension control, use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, dietary restriction of salt and protein, and lipid lowering drugs. Current treatment of lupus nephritis is associated with preservation of renal function in the vast majority of patients; however, novel agents that are more effective and less toxic are required.