The British Journal of Rheumatology, Vol 36, 1189-1195, Copyright © 1997 by British Society for Rheumatology
M Korpela, J Mustonen, AM Teppo, H Helin and A Pasternack
Mesangial glomerulonephritis (MesGN) is a frequent renal biopsy finding in
patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) presenting with haematuria and/or
proteinuria. The purpose of this study was to describe the mesangial
immunofluorescence (IF) findings in 37 such RA patients, and to correlate
the nature of the glomerular immunodeposits with clinical data, levels of
serum immunoglobulins and the concentrations of serum rheumatoid factors
(RFs). The serological findings in RA patients with MesGN were correlated
with those of RA patients matched for age, sex and duration of RA, but
without clinically evident renal disease. The most characteristic mesangial
IF finding in 37 RA patients with MesGN was IgM observed in 29 specimens
(78%). IgA (n = 16) and C3 (n = 15) deposits were also frequently found,
whereas C1q (n = 3) and IgG (n = 2) deposits were only occasionally seen.
Two main patterns of IF findings could be classified. (1) Granular IgM
deposits as a sole or main finding (IgM GN; 25 specimens). The intensity of
the mesangial IgM deposits did not correlate with the duration or severity
of RA nor with the levels of serum immunoglobulins. However, a significant
correlation with the intensity of mesangial IgM deposits and the levels of
serum IgM class RF was observed. (2) Granular IgA deposits usually together
with the complement component C3, i.e. IgA glomerulonephritis (IgA GN; nine
specimens). The intensity of mesangial IgA deposits correlated
significantly with the duration and severity of RA, and especially with
serum IgA levels. Both RA patients with IgA GN or IgM GN were associated
with a more frequent occurrence and higher titres of serum RFs when
compared with the RA patients without nephropathy. The clinicopathological
correlations and the association with RF support the concept that MesGN is
related to the basic rheumatoid disease, and it should be regarded as an
extra-articular manifestation of RA.
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Mesangial glomerulonephritis as an extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis
Department of Internal Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  B. E. Vikse, L. M. Irgens, L. Bostad, and B. M. Iversen Adverse Perinatal Outcome and Later Kidney Biopsy in the Mother J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., March 1, 2006; 17(3): 837 - 845. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Iglesias, V. D. D'Agati, and J. S. Levine Acute glomerulonephritis occurring during immunoadsorption with staphylococcal protein A column (Prosorba(R)) Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., December 1, 2004; 19(12): 3155 - 3159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|