Rapidly Progressive Renal Failure in Type 2 Diabetes in the Tropical Environment: A Clinico-Pathological Study

Background. Rapid decline of renal function in a diabetic suggests the presence of a nondiabetic kidney disease (NDKD). We designed a prospective study to evaluate the factors associated with a rapid decline in renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods. Over a 2 and a half year period, all patients with type 2 diabetes who presented with documented doubling of serum creatinine in less than 4 weeks or recently diagnosed advanced renal failure were identified. Patients with prerenal causes, urinary tract obstruction, or systemic disease causing renal failure were not included. Renal histology was studied in all cases. Results. A total of 26 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. Over 75% had serum creatinine > 4 mg/dL at presentation and 62% were dialysis dependent. Renal histology showed mixed lesions of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and NDKD in 11 cases, only DN in nine, and pure NDKD in six. Diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) was the commonest NDKD (27% cases), all on a background of DN. History of preceding cutaneous or pharyngeal infection was available in five cases. The proportion of postinfectious glomerulonephritis in diabetics with rapidly progressive renal failure was over six times that of the nondiabetic adult RPRF population during the study period. Four patients had acute interstitial nephritis and three showed crescentic glomerulonephritis. Other lesions included amyloidosis, atheroembolic disease, and renal papillary necrosis (one each). The frequency of microscopic hematuria and retinopathy was similar in those with pure DN and NDKD. Four out of seven cases with DPGN showed partial recovery whereas the other three remained unchanged. Conclusions. About two-thirds of patients with type 2 diabetes presenting with rapid decline of renal function in a tropical environment show NDKD. The high incidence of postinfectious glomerulonephritis in this group is possibly related to the high prevalence of skin and soft tissue infections; and could contribute to progressive kidney disease.     

Renal flares in 91 SLE patients with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis

BACKGROUND: Even when treated with current protocols, 25 to 30% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) evolve to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The occurrence of renal flares is considered to be an important risk factor for the evolution to ESRD. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the incidence and prognostic significance of renal flares in SLE patients with DPGN and to identify predictors for the occurrence of flares. METHODS: Ninety-one SLE patients were selected for study based on the following criteria: (a) evidence of renal involvement, (b) a follow-up of at least 6 months after the renal biopsy, and (c) a steady improvement in renal manifestations after the biopsy lasting for at least three months. RESULTS: Renal flares occurred in 54% of the patients after renal biopsy and appropriate treatment. A younger age at the time of renal biopsy correlated with the occurrence of renal flares. A high activity index (> or =10) and karyorrhexis on histology correlated with the occurrence of nephritic flares. Twenty-seven percent of the patients developed ESRD. The number of renal flares, nephritic flares, and "early" proteinuric flares (that is, those occurring in the first 18 months after renal biopsy) as well as serum creatinine levels, karyorrhexis, and chronicity index on renal histology were correlated with doubling serum creatinine. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that (a) a distinct subgroup of SLE patients exists, made up of younger patients with extensive, active lesions on renal biopsy, who are at higher risk for renal flares, (b) renal flares represent important predictors of doubling serum creatinine.     

2型糖尿病合并非糖尿病肾病的临床及病理分析

目的：回顾性分析2型糖尿病合并非糖尿病肾病的临床表现及病理特征。方法：回顾性分析2004年1月～2009年12月临床疑为合并非糖尿病肾病的110例2型糖尿病患者的肾活检资料。根据肾活检结果分为单纯糖尿病肾病（DN）组和糖尿病肾病合并非糖尿病肾病（NDRD）组,并对临床和病理资料进行分析。结果：110例2型糖尿病肾病患者中,50例（45.5%）合并非糖尿病肾病。糖尿病肾病合并非糖尿病肾病组蛋白尿、血尿发生率高于单纯糖尿病肾病组,但糖尿病视网膜病变发生率低于单纯糖尿病肾病组。两组年龄、糖尿病病程、高血压、血肌酐和肾小球滤过率差异无统计学意义。所有合并的非糖尿病肾病中,IgA肾病的比率最高为34%,其他依次为膜性肾病22.0%,系膜增殖性肾小球肾炎14%,HBV相关性肾小球肾炎8.0%,微小病变型肾小球肾炎10%,高血压肾小球硬化4.0%,FSGS4.0%,新月体肾小球肾炎2.0%,狼疮性肾炎2.0%。结论：2型糖尿病肾病合并非糖尿病肾病发生率45.5%,IgA肾病最常见。血尿、蛋白尿同时缺乏糖尿病视网膜病变强烈提示合并非糖尿病肾病。对于临床表现不典型的患者,肾活检是一项排除糖尿病肾脏病变的重要手段。     

Renal replacement therapy for diabetic end-stage renal disease: data from 10 registries in Europe (1991-2000)

BACKGROUND: There is concern about the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and of the resultant nephropathy. This study uses data from the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry to provide information on the epidemiology and outcome of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to diabetic nephropathy (DN). METHODS: Data from the following 10 registries: Austria, French-speaking Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Norway, Scotland (UK), Catalonia (Spain), Sweden, and The Netherlands were combined. Average annual changes (%) were estimated by Poisson regression. Analyses of mortality were performed by Cox regression. RESULTS: An increase in patients with type 2 DN entering RRT has been observed (+11.9% annually, P < 0.05), while large differences in RRT incidence in this disease continue to exist between countries in Europe. There was a reduction in mortality during the first 2 years on dialysis therapy among patients with type 2 DN (AHR 0.96, 95%CI 0.94-0.97 annually). The mortality among transplant recipients decreased for both type 1 DN and nondiabetic ESRD (non DN) within the 1995-1998 cohort (type 1 DN: AHR 0.49, 95% CI 0.35-0.68; non DN: AHR 0.79, 95% CI 0.69-0.90) compared to the 1991-1994 cohort. CONCLUSION: This report has shown that during the last decade there has been a marked increase in the incidence of RRT for type 2 DN. Survival analysis showed that over the period 1991-1999 the mortality rates of all dialysis patients and of type 1 diabetic and nondiabetic renal transplant recipients have fallen.     

2型糖尿病患者合并非糖尿病性肾损害的临床病理分析

目的：了解2型糖尿病合并非糖尿病性肾损害的临床病理特点。方法：总结分析29例2型糖尿病合并非糖尿病肾损害的临床资料、病理改变及治疗反应。结果：2型糖尿病或糖尿病肾病可以合并多种非糖尿病肾损害,以各种类型的原发性及继发性肾小球疾病为主。原发性肾小球疾病常见病理类型有轻度系膜增生性肾小球肾炎、膜性肾病、IgA肾病和微小病变。这些患者具有以下不同于典型糖尿病肾病的特点：（1）糖尿病病程短于5年;（2）大量蛋白尿或肾功能不全时血压正常;（3）急性肾功能衰竭;（4）血尿明显。大部分肾病水平蛋白尿患者经糖皮质激素或糖皮质激素联合细胞毒类药物治疗后可完全缓解.结论：（1）2型糖尿病合并肾损害不等于糖尿病肾病;（2）2型糖尿病可以合并各种非糖尿病性肾损害;（3）当2型糖尿病伴肾脏受累者具有上述不符合糖尿病肾病特征时,应尽早行肾活检明确诊断;（4）在充分考虑患者 的临床特点、病理改变、严格控制血糖及血压的情况下,糖皮质激素或糖皮质激素联合细胞毒类药物治疗是安全有效的,可以改变患者的预后。     

Renal pathological change in patients with type 2 diabetes is not always diabetic nephropathy: a report of 52 cases

AIMS: The present study examined the relationship between clinical features and renal histological changes in the Type 2-diabetic patients and evaluated the usefulness of renal biopsy in the diagnosis of diabetic versus non-diabetic kidney disease. METHODS: 52 patients with Type 2-diabetic mellitus were retrospectively analyzed for differential clinical, laboratory features and pathological characteristics including overt proteinuria (> 0.5 g/day), elevated serum creatinine and/or the development of hematuria. RESULTS: Of 52 patients, 20 cases (38.5%) showed no detectable diabetic lesions and, thus, were diagnosed as non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD), while 32 patients (61.5%) exhibited diabetic nephropathy. Interestingly, while 29 patients showed diabetic nephropathy (DN) alone, NDRD was also found in 3 patients with DN. Clinically, 24 out of 52 patients (46.16%) had a diagnosis consistent with the pathological findings, while 10 (19.23%) were diagnosed incorrectly. Compared to NDRD patients, patients with DN had prolonged diabetic history with or without retinopathy, while 25% of patients with NDRD exhibited mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis. CONCLUSIONS: NDRD was a common feature in Type 2-diabetic patients with renal involvement. The absence of retinopathy and short periods of diabetic history may be useful indicators for diagnosis of NDRD clinically.     

Acute Postinfectious Crescentic Glomerulonephritis: Clinicopathologic Presentation and Risk Factors

Background: Glomerular crescent formation is a feature of the most severe forms of human glomerulonephritis. The postinfectious form of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with crescents is a form of immune complex glomerulonephritis which seem to have a better prognosis. A relatively poorer prognosis for crescentic postinfectious glomerulonephritis in South Africa has been reported. In the present study, we have tried to determine the mode of presentation, and the prognostic factors for renal and patient outcome for cases with postinfectious crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN). Methods:Between 1990 and 2000 a total number of 128 patients with CGN were managed at our center, among them 23 cases were diagnosed as postinfectious CGN. They were followed-up for a mean period of 40.1 ± 28.9 months. Among them 12 were males and 11 were females. The median age was 12.35 years (range 4–55 years). The median serum creatinine at presentation was 7.24 mg/dl (range 1.3–14.5 mg/dl). We studied the clinical, laboratory and histopathological data ^.of our cases and their impact on the renal and patient outcome. Results:By univariate study the risk factors for renal dysfunction were the age, hypertension, and nephrotic range proteinuria during the follow-up period. By multivariate analysis only the, hypertension, and presence of nephrotic range proteinuria during the follow-up period were the significant risk factors. The risk factors that significantly affected patient mortality were hypertension and serum creatinine at last follow-up. Conclusion: postinfectious CGN is a severe form of glomerulonephritis that usually presents with rapidly progressive renal failure. The persistence of hypertension and nephrotic range proteinuria during the follow-up are major bad prognostic predictors for renal dysfunction.     

2型糖尿病肾脏病与2型糖尿病合并非糖尿病肾损害的临床及病理比较

目的分析比较2型糖尿病。肾脏病与2型糖尿病合并非糖尿病肾损害的临床及病理特征异同点。方法回顾性分析2008年1月至2011年4月在我科住院的患者,临床诊断2型糖尿病、并有蛋白尿,行经皮肾活检穿刺术病理检查共105例患者的临床病理资料。结果（1）非糖尿病肾损害组5I例,占48．57％,一般情况如糖尿病病程、高血压病程、代谢紊乱及肾脏损害均较2型糖尿病肾脏病轻。病理类型以原发性肾小球疾病为主,病理改变包括。肾小球损伤及小管-间质改变较2型糖尿病肾脏病组轻微。（2）2型糖尿病肾脏病患者54例,占51．43％。病理损伤的严重程度与体质量指数、血肌酐、胱抑素C、视黄醇结合蛋白、尿素氮呈正相关,而与血红蛋白、白蛋白和肌酐清除率呈负相关。结论在f临床上,对于病程长、代谢紊乱及临床肾损害指标严重的患者,考虑2型糖尿病肾脏病可能性大。     

507例2型糖尿病合并慢性肾脏病患者肾活检的临床病理特点

目的 总结和分析糖尿病肾病(diabetic kidney disease,DKD)与非糖尿病肾病(non-diabetic kidney disease,NDKD)患者临床病理特点,为临床2型糖尿病合并慢性肾脏病患者肾活检指征提供循证医学证据.方法 通过南方医科大学南方医院大数据库收集2002年2月至2018年6月在该院接受肾活检的2型糖尿病合并慢性肾脏病患者,并根据肾活检结果将其分为DKD组和NDKD组(包括DKD合并NDKD),比较两组间临床表现及病理类型特点,并采用Logistic回归模型分析DKD和NDKD患者的相关因素.结果 共纳入507例患者,DKD患者114例(22.5%),NDKD患者393例(77.5%).病理表现:NDKD的最常见病理类型为膜性肾病(30.0%)和IgA肾病(19.1%),其中有5.6%患者为DKD合并NDKD.临床表现:与NDKD组患者相比,DKD组患者有更长的糖尿病史(>1年,76.3%比36.1%,P<0.001),更易发生糖尿病视网膜病变(42.1%比4.8%,P< 0.001),24h尿蛋白量更高[3.69(1.70,6.74)g比2.21 (0.91,4.97)g,P<0.001],血肌酐更高[117.5 (85.8,194.5) μmol/L比89.0 (68.0,143.8) μmol/L,P<0.001],血红蛋白更低[(105.07±20.85) g/L比(124.41±25.02) g/L,P=0.002],胆固醇更低[(5.69±1.87) mmol/L比(6.43±2.75) mmol/L,P=0.001].Logistic回归分析显示,糖尿病史(OR=4.162,95%CI 1.717~10.098,P=0.002)、较高收缩压(每增加1 mmHg,OR=1.028,95%CI 1.011~1.045,p=0.001)、降压药服用史(OR=3.141,95%CI 1.496~6.591,P=0.002)、糖尿病视网膜病变(OR=5.561,95%CI2.361~13.100,P<0.001)、较高糖化血红蛋白(每增加1%,OR=1.680,95%CI1.333~2.118,P<0.001)是DKD的相关因素,而血尿(OR=2.781,95%CI 1.334~5.798,P=0.006)和较高血红蛋白(每增加1g/L,OR=1.022,95%CI1.008~1.037,P=0.002)则为NDKD的相关因素.结论 DKD与NDKD之间的临床表现及病理类型存在差异,糖尿病病史、眼底检查、大量蛋白尿、降压药服用史、较高的糖化血红蛋白水平对DKD的诊断有较好的预测作用,而血尿和较高的血红蛋白水平对NDKD的诊断有一定指导意义.糖尿病合并慢性肾脏病患者行肾活检的指征需根据各临床表现综合分析.     

Immunohistochemical staining of renal biopsy samples in patients with diabetic nephropathy in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus using monoclonal antibody to advanced glycation end products

Summary: Immunohistochemical staining of glomeruli in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using the monoclonal anti-advanced glycation end products (AGE) antibody is described. In order to detect the localization of AGE in human renal tissues, we performed immunohistochemical staining using the monoclonal anti-AGE antibody in the glomeruli of 11 patients with DN and 11 age-matched patients with diffuse mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis without IgA deposition (DPGN) as controls.
Emergence of AGE in the mesangial area was more marked in the glomeruli of patients with severe mesangial expansion than in those with mild expansion. AGE in the extraglomerular arteriolar walls was also observed. In contrast, there was no positive staining using the same antibody in renal tissue obtained from DPGN.
These data support the concept that deposition and/or formation of AGE in the mesangial area might be associated with the progression of diabetic nephropathy.     

Stopping smoking slows accelerated progression of renal failure in primary renal disease

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking accelerates the progression of renal failure in primary kidney diseases. It is not known, however, whether stopping smoking slows this accelerated loss of renal function. METHODS: 45 patients with progressive primary nephropathies (glomerulonephritis or tubulointerstitial nephritis) and moderate renal failure were encouraged to stop heavy cigarette smoking (1-2 packs per day); 26 patients refused to change their smoking habits (current smokers), and 16 successfully stopped (ex-smokers) during the 24 month study period. Carboxyhemoglobin and creatinine clearance were measured every six months. The primary end-point of the study was end-stage renal disease requiring renal replacement therapy. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two patient groups in demographic, renal and treatment characteristics at the start of the study. Current and ex-smokers had similar rates of decline of creatinine clearance during the 24 months before the investigations. Compared to ex-smokers or matched non-smoking renal patients, permanent smokers had a significantly faster decline in creatinine clearance during the two-year study period. Renal replacement therapy had to be started in six smokers, but only in one ex-smoker and none of the non-smokers during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Giving up smoking slowed the rapid progression of renal failure, but did not reverse the loss of renal function induced by smoking. We recommend that increased efforts should be made to encourage renal patients to give up smoking in order to prolong dialysis-free kidney survival.     

Proteinuria following transplantation. Correlation with histopathology and outcome

A review of 693 renal transplant recipients revealed 77 (11%) in whom persistent, heavy proteinuria (greater than 2 g/24 hr) developed. Renal histology was available in all 77 patients. Twenty-one patients had received kidneys from living-related donors, the remaining 56 from cadaveric donors. The cause of proteinuria in these 77 patients was as follows: transplant glomerulopathy (30), allograft glomerulonephritis (22), chronic rejection (21), renal vein thrombosis (2), diabetic glomerulosclerosis (1), and hypertensive nephrosclerosis (1). Of the 22 patients who developed glomerulonephritis in the transplanted kidney, 6 had recurrent disease (3--membranous glomerulopathy, 2--focal sclerosis and hyalinosis, 1--membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis); 6 developed de novo glomerulonephritis; and in 10 the type of glomerulonephritis could not be classified as recurrent or as de novo because of lack of characterization of the original kidney disease. Renal vein thrombosis occurred in association with other lesions in an additional 5 cases (3--chronic rejection; 2--membranous glomerulopathy). In follow-up only 23.4% (18 of 77) of the patients maintained prolonged graft function; the majority of grafts being lost within one year of the development of persistent, heavy proteinuria. Of the 18 patients who retained their grafts, 8 had glomerulonephritis, 5 transplant glomerulopathy, and 5 chronic rejection. This study confirms the poor prognosis that has been reported with the development of nephrotic-range proteinuria in renal allograft recipients.     

Renal transplantation in patients with diabetes mellitus--revisited.

Sixty-one patients with end-stage renal failure due to diabetic nephropathy received 68 renal allografts from June 1970 to February 1978. Patient and graft survival results equaled those for nondiabetic patients, as reported by the Human Renal Transplant Registry (HRTR). Renal allografts from siblings or pretreated cadaver donors had a significantly longer survival time than did allografts from nonpretreated cadaver donors. It is concluded that renal transplantation with living related and pretreated cadaver donor kidneys continues to be the treatment of choice and is superior to other forms of treatment in the insulin-dependent diabetic patient with end-stage renal disease.     

The prognosis of segmental glomerulonephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus

Severe segmental glomerulonephritis (Seg GN) (greater than or equal to 50% involvement) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is classified as diffuse GN (DPGN) in the WHO classification. We tested the validity of the assumption that severe Seg GN and DPGN have the same prognosis by determining the proportion of glomeruli involved by active segmental inflammation in a series of 127 patients and by comparing the prognosis in various categories of Seg GN with patients with DPGN. In Seg GN we found mild involvement (1 to 19%) in 19 patients, moderate involvement (20 to 49%) in 9 patients and severe involvement (greater than or equal to 50%) in 17 patients. There were 28 cases of DPGN. The actuarial five-year survival of patients with mild and moderate Seg GN was 82%. The survival of patients with severe Seg GN and DPGN were 59 and 53%, respectively. The incidence of adverse outcomes, including death, end-stage kidney disease, and deterioration of renal function was similar in patients with severe Seg GN and DPGN, and greater than in patients with mild and moderate Seg GN. Although there was a trend associating increasing glomerular involvement with elevated urinary protein excretion and serum creatinine and decreased serum C3 and C4, the differences were not significant. Cumulative prednisone dose and prednisone given in the first and second years following biopsy were not different in the various categories of Seg GN and DPGN, suggesting that differences in outcome were not related to the amount of prednisone therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis: identification of specific pathologic features affecting renal outcome

Prerandomization renal biopsy specimens were examined in 102 patients upon entry into prospective therapeutic trials of lupus nephritis in an attempt to identify early predictors of renal failure outcome. All 11 renal failures occurred among the 72 individuals with diffuse proliferative or membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN/MPGN); thus, these patients were at modestly, but significantly, increased risk of endstage renal disease compared to those with focal proliferative, membranous, or mesangial glomerulonephritis. Considering the low incidence of endstage renal disease among patients with DPGN/MPGN, we sought to refine the prognostic information obtained from renal morphology by semiquantitative scoring of individual histologic features and by derivation of composite histologic scores specified by Activity (AI) and Chronicity (CI) Indices. Among the 72 patients with DPGN/MPGN, the composite AI was more strongly predictive of renal failure than were the individual active histologic features; cellular crescents and extensive fibrinoid necrosis yielded positive associations, while endocapillary proliferation, leucocytic exudation, and hyaline thrombi in glomeruli and interstitial inflammation by themselves did not emerge as useful prognostic indicators. However, chronicity items (glomerular sclerosis, fibrous crescents, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis) considered individually, as well as in the composite CI, were highly predictive of renal failure outcome. Particularly striking was the prognostic value of tubular atrophy; all 11 renal failures were among the 43 patients with tubular atrophy on prerandomization renal biopsy. While no single pathologic variable improved outcome predictions among those with tubular atrophy, examination for interactions among variables revealed that glomerular sclerosis and cellular crescents had a synergistic effect which augmented the prognostic information derived from analysis of tubular atrophy alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Renal microvascular disease predicts renal function in diabetes

Renal microvascular disease reflected directly by peritubular capillary flow reduction and indirectly by renal function impairment has been documented in early diabetic nephropathy (DN) associated with normoalbuminuria and normal serum creatinine concentration. The renal microvascular disease observed in early DN [chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 1-2] could progress under current practice to late DN (CKD stages 3-5) with a further reduction in peritubular capillary flow. This advanced renal microvascular disease in late DN is characterized by therapeutic resistance to vasodilators and altered vascular homeostasis associated with impaired nitric oxide production. The renal microvascular disease is progressive as the disease severity progresses and eventually induces chronic renal ischemia and a progressive tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Further study has revealed that early DN is associated with an adequately functional vascular homeostasis. Therefore, recognition and treatment of early renal microvascular disease at early DN (stages 1-2) could enhance renal perfusion and restore renal function.     

Chronic renal failure in India

In a series of 2028 patients with chronic renal failure, thediseases leading to renal failure, the presence or absence ofreversible factors and their nature, and the rate of declineof renal function of the most common conditions have been describedand analysed. Seven diseases: chronic interstitial nephritis(27.85%), diabetic nephropathy (26.76%), chronic glomerulonephritis(18.20%), benign nephrosclerosis (10.06%), chronic pyelonephritis(7.29%), focal glom erulosclerosis (3.20%), and autosomal dominantpoly cystic disease of the kidneys (2.07%), accounted for 95.43%of all the patients. These diseases were studied in greaterdetail and the results are presented here. It was found thatthere was a great variation in the rate of decline of renalfunction in the different groups, with chronic glomerulonephritisand focal glomerular sclerosis progressing most rapidly, diabeticnephro pathy slightly slower, and the others at a less alarmingpace. However, once serum creatinine had reached 177 µmol/lthere was an inexorable decline in renal function and the endstage was reached in almost all patients.     

Acute postinfectious glomerulonephritis associated with Campylobacter jejuni enteritis - a case report and review of the literature on C. jejuni's potential to trigger immunologically mediated renal disease

Kidney disease is a rare complication of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) enteritis. We here present the case of an 18-year-old male patient with crampy abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Three weeks later urinalysis revealed mild proteinuria and hematuria and a marked raise in serum creatinine was observed. Renal biopsy demonstrated acute endocapillary glomerulonephritis with mesangial IgM (immunoglobuline M) deposits. Extensive workup revealed no signs of skin or joint disease, thus excluding Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura. Due to persistent abdominal discomfort further gastro-enterological tests were performed and eventually Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from the patient's feces. In the absence of other precipitating factors for renal diseases we presumed an association between the bacterial infection and this postinfectious glomerulonephritis. Over a time period of 6 months the patient's kidney function normalized completely. However, long-term prognosis remains unclear. In addition to the case report, we conducted a review of the literature with results underlining Campylobacter jejuni's potential to trigger various types of immune mediated kidney diseases.     

Fibrillary and immunotactoid glomerulonephritis: Distinct entities with different clinical and pathologic features

BACKGROUND: Controversy surrounds the relatedness of fibrillary glomerulonephritis (FGN) and immunotactoid glomerulonephritis (IT). METHODS: To better define their clinicopathologic features and outcome, we report the largest single center series of 67 cases biopsied from 1980 to 2001, including 61 FGN and 6 IT. FGN was defined by glomerular immune deposition of Congo red-negative randomly oriented fibrils of < 30 nm (mean, 20.1 +/- 0.4 nm). IT was defined by glomerular deposition of hollow, stacked microtubules of > or = 30 nm (mean, 38.2 +/- 5.7 nm). RESULTS: FGN comprised 0.6% of total native kidney biopsies and IT was tenfold more rare (0.06%). Deposits in FGN were immunoglobulin G (IgG) dominant and polyclonal in 96%. IgG subtype analysis in 19 FGN cases showed monotypic deposits in four (two IgG1 and two IgG4) and oligotypic deposits in 15 (all combined IgG1 and IgG4). In IT, deposits were IgG dominant in 83% and monoclonal in 67% (three IgG1 kappa and one IgG1 lambda). FGN patients were a mean age of 57 years, 92% were Caucasian, and 39% were male. At biopsy, FGN patients had the following clinical characteristics (mean, range): creatinine 3.1 mg/dL (0.5 to 14), proteinuria 6.5 g/day (0.8 to 25), 60% microhematuria, and 59% hypertension. Histologic patterns of FGN were diverse, including diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) (nine cases), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) (27 cases), mesangial proliferative/sclerosing (MES) (13), membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) (four), and diffuse sclerosing (DS) (eight). The more proliferative (MPGN and DPGN) and sclerosing (DS) forms presented with a higher creatinine and greater proteinuria compared to MES and MGN. Median time to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was 24.4 months for FGN and mean time to ESRD varied by histologic subtype: DS 7 months, DPGN 20 months, MPGN 44 months, compared to MES 80 months and MGN 87 months. There was no statistically significant effect of immunosuppressive therapy (given to 36% of FGN patients). By Cox regression (hazard ratio, confidence interval, P value), independent predictors of progression to ESRD were creatinine at biopsy [2.05 (1.55 to 2.72) P < 0.001] and severity of interstitial fibrosis [2.01 (1.05 to 3.85) P = 0.034]. Although IT had similar presentation, histologic patterns, and outcome compared to FGN, it had a greater association with monoclonal gammopathy (P = 0.014), underlying lymphoproliferative disease (P = 0.020), and hypocomplementemia (P = 0.032). CONCLUSION: FGN is an idiopathic condition characterized by polyclonal immune deposits with restricted gamma isotypes. Most patients present with significant renal insufficiency and have a poor outcome despite immunosuppressive therapy, and outcome correlates with histologic subtype. By contrast, IT often contains monoclonal IgG deposits and has a significant association with underlying dysproteinemia and hypocomplementemia. Differentiation of FGN from the much more rare entity IT appears justified on immunopathologic, ultrastructural, and clinical grounds.     

2型糖尿病合并肾脏损害的病理与临床分析

目的 分析2型糖尿病患者出现肾脏病变时病理诊断与临床表现的关系.探讨肾活检在2型糖尿病伴有肾脏病变诊断的意义.方法 分析52例尿检异常和（或）Scr升高的2型糖尿病患者的临床特征和病理改变特点.结果 52例2型糖尿病患者经肾活检,32例确诊为糖尿病肾病（DN）,占61.5%,其中3例为糖尿病肾病合并非糖尿病性肾脏疾病（NDRD）;余20例为非糖尿病性肾脏疾病,占38.5%.肾活检前后诊断符合率46.15%,误诊率19.23%.两组间除BUN、Scr、糖尿病病程和是否伴有糖尿病性视网膜病变有显著差异外,其他临床表现和实验室检查的差异均无统计学意义.结论 2型糖尿病伴肾脏病变时相当部分是非糖尿病性肾脏病变,单纯依靠临床资料常难以鉴别,肾活检对明确糖尿病伴肾病变的性质具有重要的意义.