Assessment of Renal Risk Score and Histopathological Classification for Prediction of End-Stage Kidney Disease and Factors Associated With Change in eGFR After ANCA-Glomerulonephritis Diagnosis

Introduction

The “Renal Risk Score” (RRS) and the histopathological classification have been proposed to predict the risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis (ANCA-GN). Besides, factors associated with kidney function recovery after ANCA-GN onset remain to be more extensively studied. In the present study, we analyzed the value of the RRS and of the histopathological classification for ESKD prediction. Next, we analyzed factors associated with eGFR change within the first 2 years following ANCA-GN diagnosis.

Materials and Methods

We included patients from the Maine–Anjou ANCA-associated vasculitis registry with at least 6 months of follow-up. The values of ANCA-GN, histopathological classification, and RRS, and the factors associated with eGFR variations between ANCA-GN diagnosis and 2 years of follow-up were assessed.

Results

The predictive values of the histopathological classification and RRS were analyzed in 123 patients. After a median follow-up of 42 months, 33.3% patients developed ESKD. The predictive value of RRS for ESKD was greater than that of the histopathological classification. Determinants of eGFR variation were assessed in 80/123 patients with complete eGFR measurement. The median eGFR increased from ANCA-GN diagnosis to month 6 and stabilized thereafter. The only factor associated with eGFR variation in our study was eGFR at ANCA-GN diagnosis, with higher eGFR at diagnosis being associated with eGFR loss (p<0.001).

Conclusion

The RRS has a better predictive value for ESKD than the histopathological classification. The main determinant of eGFR variation at 2 years was eGFR at ANCA-GN diagnosis. Thus, this study suggests that eGFR recovery is poorly predicted by histological damage at ANCA-GN diagnosis.

MO259LYMPHOPENIA AT ANCA-GLOMERULONEPHRITIS DIAGNOSIS IS CORRELATED WITH SEVERITY AND RENAL PROGNOSIS

Background and Aims

Lymphopenia is commonly observed in various autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, where it has been associated with disease activity or prognosis. However, in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) only few, small-scale studies have been targeted to this issue. Research has not yet focused on ANCA-glomerulonephritis (ANCA-GN) patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the association between lymphocyte counts and outcomes in a large cohort of ANCA-GN patients.

Method

We used the Maine-Anjou AAV registry that retrospectively gathers data on consecutive patients affected by AAV in four French Nephrology Centers, recorded since January 2000. We analyzed clinical, biological, and histological data at diagnosis of ANCA-GN. Biological data, including lymphocyte counts, were collected before the administration of any immunosuppressive treatment. Risk factors for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) were analyzed. Event-free survival was also assessed.

Results

Among the 145 patients included in the study, 53 (37%) patients presented with lymphopenia at ANCA-GN diagnosis. Lymphopenic patients were older (72 [63–79] vs 66 [56–73] years old, p = 0.010), had a lower renal function at baseline (eGFR 13 mL/min vs 26 mL/min, p = 0.002), and a higher proteinuria (1.86 [1.21–3.52] g/g vs 1.30 [0.75–2.65] g/g, p = 0.042). There was a trend for a higher BVAS (18 [14–22] vs 15 [12–20], p = 0.076) in lymphopenic patients. Therapeutic management between the two groups was similar. There was no difference in relapse rate between the two groups but lymphopenic patients were more likely to require kidney replacement therapy (51% vs 25%, p = 0.003) and were more likely to die (34% vs 17%, p = 0.039). Lymphopenia was correlated with histological lesions and especially with the percentage of sclerotic glomeruli (p = 0.0027). ESKD-free survival and overall survival were lower in lymphopenic patients (p &lt; 0.0001 and 0.0051 respectively). In multivariate Cox analysis, lymphopenia, but not death, was an independent risk factor for ESKD (HR 4.47 (95% confidence interval: [2.06–9.72], p &lt; 0.001).

Conclusion

Lymphopenia correlates with severity of ANCA-GN at diagnosis and predicts poor renal outcome. In this view, lymphopenia could be used as a simple and cost-effective biomarker to assess renal prognosis at ANCA-GN diagnosis.

Lymphopenia at diagnosis of ANCA-vasculitis with renal involvement is correlated with severity and renal prognosis

BACKGROUND

Lymphopenia is commonly observed in autoimmune diseases, where it has been associated with disease activity or prognosis. However, in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) only few, small-scale studies have been targeted to this issue. Research has not yet focused on AAV with renal involvement (AAV-RI) patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the association between lymphocyte counts and outcomes in a large cohort of AAV-RI patients.

METHODS

We used the Maine-Anjou AAV registry that retrospectively gathers data on consecutive patients affected by AAV in four French Nephrology Centers, recorded since January 2000. We analyzed clinical, biological, and histological data at diagnosis of AAV-RI. Risk factors for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) were analyzed. Event-free survival was also assessed.

RESULTS

Among the 145 patients included in the study, those with lymphopenia at diagnosis had a lower renal function at baseline (eGFR 13 mL/min vs 26 mL/min, p = 0.002) and were more likely to require kidney replacement therapy (51% vs 25%, p = 0.003). Lymphopenia was correlated with histological lesions and especially with the percentage of sclerotic glomeruli (p = 0.0027). ESKD-free survival was lower in lymphopenic patients (p < 0.0001). In multivariate Cox analysis, lymphopenia was an independent risk factor for ESKD (HR 4.47 (95% confidence interval: [2.06-9.72], p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Lymphopenia correlates with the severity of AAV glomerulonephritis at diagnosis and predicts poor renal outcome. In this view, lymphopenia could be used as a simple and cost-effective biomarker to assess renal prognosis at AAV-RI diagnosis.

Retrospective and Systematic Analysis of Causes and Outcomes of Thrombotic Microangiopathies in Routine Clinical Practice: An 11-Year Study

Background: Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) are highly suspected in patients showing mechanical hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and haptoglobin consumption. Primary [thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome] and secondary TMA are considered. Even if ADAMTS13 measurements and alternative complement pathway explorations have greatly improved the ability to identify primary TMA, their diagnosis remains difficult, and their frequency relative to that of secondary TMA is undetermined. The objectives of the present study were, therefore, to describe the etiologies, management, and the outcomes of patients presenting with TMA in real-life clinical practice.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study between 01/01/2008 and 31/12/2018 that included all consecutive patients presenting with biological TMA syndrome at admission or developing during hospitalization. Patients were identified from the laboratory databases, and their medical files were reviewed to confirm TMA diagnosis, to determine etiology, and to analyze their therapeutic management and outcomes.

Results: During this period, 239 patients with a full TMA biological syndrome were identified, and the TMA diagnosis was finally confirmed in 216 (90.4%) after the cases were reviewed. Primary TMAs (thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura or atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome) were diagnosed in 20 of 216 patients (9.3%). Typical HUS was diagnosed in eight patients (3.7%), and the most frequent secondary TMAs were HELLP syndrome (79/216, 36.6%) and active malignancies (30/219, 13.9%). ADAMTS13 measurements and alternative complement pathway analyses were performed in a minority of patients. Multiple factors identified as TMA triggers were present in most patients, in 55% of patients with primary TMA, vs. 44.7% of patients with secondary TMA (p = 0.377). Death occurred in 57 patients (23.4%) during follow-up, and dialysis was required in 51 patients (23.6%). Active malignancies [odds ratio (OR) 13.7], transplantation (OR 4.43), male sex (OR 2.89), and older age (OR 1.07) were significantly associated with death.

Conclusion: Secondary TMAs represent many TMA causes in patients presenting a full TMA biological syndrome during routine clinical practice. Multiple factors favoring TMA are present in about half of primary or secondary TMA. ADAMTS13 and complement pathway were poorly explored in our cohort. The risk of death is particularly high in patients with malignancies as compared with patients with other TMA.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Venous Thromboembolic Events in Patients with ANCA-Glomerulonephritis: A Cohort Study from the Maine-Anjou Registry

(1) Introduction: The incidence of venous thromboembolisms (VTE) has not been extensively analyzed in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-glomerulonephritis (ANCA-GN). Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess the frequency and the risk factors of VTE in patients with ANCA-GN. (2) Methods: Patients from the Maine-Anjou ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) registry with a biopsy showing pauci-immune glomerulonephritis were included. VTE events, site, and interval from AAV diagnosis were analyzed. (3) Results: 133 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study and were analyzed. VTE episodes were diagnosed in 23/133 (17.3%) patients at a median delay of 3 months from ANCA-GN diagnosis. Patients with VTE had lower serum albumin (p = 0.040), were less frequently on statin therapy (p = 0.009) and had less frequently proteinase-3 (PR3)-ANCAs (p = 0.078). Univariate analysis identified higher age (p = 0.022), lower serum albumin (p = 0.030), lack of statin therapy (p = 0.009), and rituximab treatment (p = 0.018) as significant risk factors of VTE. In multivariate analysis, only lack of statin therapy (HR 4.873; p = 0.042) was significantly associated with VTE. (4) Conclusion: Patients with ANCA-GN are at high risk of VTE, especially within the first months following AAV diagnosis. Our results suggest that statin therapy is associated with a lower risk of VTE in ANCA-GN patients.

Clinicopathologic features of infection-related glomerulonephritis with IgA deposits: a French Nationwide study

Background

Infection-related glomerulonephritis with IgA deposits (IRGN-IgA) is a rare disease but it is increasingly reported in the literature. Data regarding epidemiology and outcome are lacking, especially in Europe. We aimed to assess the clinical, pathologic and outcome data of IRGN-IgA.

Methods

Clinical and outcome data from patients from 11 French centers over the 2007–2017 period were collected retrospectively. We reviewed pathologic patterns and immunofluorescence of renal biopsies and evaluated C4d expression in IRGN-IgA. We analyzed the correlation between histological presentation and outcome.

Results

Twenty-seven patients (23 men, mean age: 62 ± 15 years) were included. Twenty-one (78%) had Staphylococcus aureus infection and twelve (44%) were diabetic. At the time of biopsy, 95.2% had haematuria, 48.1% had a serum creatinine level of > 4 mg/dL, and 16% had hypocomplementemia. The most common pathologic presentation included mesangial (88.9%) and endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis (88.9%) with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) (85.1%). Diffuse and global glomerular C4d expression was found in 17.8%, mostly in biopsies with acute or subacute patterns, and was associated with a short delay between infection and renal biopsy compared to segmental and focal staining. After median follow-up of 13.2 months, 23.1% died, 46.2% had persistent renal dysfunction and 15.4% reached end-stage renal disease. Renal outcome was correlated to IF/TA severity.

Conclusions

Infection-related glomerulonephritis with IgA deposits is usually associated with Staphylococcus infections and mainly affects adult men. This entity has a poor prognosis which is correlated to interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy severity.

Renal biopsy in very elderly patients (over 80 years): clinical presentation, histological diagnosis, and long-term outcome

PURPOSE

Data regarding the long-term outcome of very elderly (VE) patients undergoing renal biopsy (RB) are lacking. The objective of this study was to analyse the outcome of VE patients undergoing RB.

METHODS

All patients over 65 years that underwent native RB between 2004 and 2016 in our center were included. Among the 206 included patients, those over 80 years (VE, 46 patients) were analysed and compared to those aged 65-80 years (160 patients). The outcomes of the VE group were analysed.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics, renal presentation, safety of RB and RB-related diagnosis were not different between VE patients and 65-80-year-old patients. Survival of VE patients was 73.1, 50.6 and 21.8% at 2, 4 and 6 years after RB, significantly poorer than those of 65-80-year-old group. Early death (< 1 year) occurred in 10 VE patients, was associated with a higher proteinuria-to-creatininuria ratio and tended to be associated with a more frequent dialysis need at RB. Of the 46 VE patients, 31 (67.4%) were diagnosed with a potentially reversible kidney disease, of whom 17 (40%) were started on immunosuppressive regimens. Survival of patients with a reversible kidney disease tended to be better than those with other diseases.

CONCLUSION

RB appears as a safe and valuable procedure to assess diagnosis of kidney disease in VE patients. Our data suggest that RB is critical for the identification and treatment decision of patients with potentially reversible diseases and may translate in clinical improvement.

[MRI in congenital Brown's syndrome: report of 16 cases]

INTRODUCTION

Superior oblique retraction syndrome or Brown's syndrome is one of the so-called restrictive syndromes causing anatomic strabismus. It is characterized by active and passive limitation of upward gaze in adduction in the field of action of the superior oblique muscle (SO). The etiology of this congenital syndrome remains unknown. The purpose of this prospective study is to analyze brain and orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with congenital Brown's syndrome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixteen children (19 months - 9 years) underwent complete ophthalmologic evaluation followed by brain/orbital MRI with attention to the superior oblique muscle. Average age at time of MRI was 4.2 years old. Among patients included were eight girls and eight boys. MRI was performed on a 1.5T (Symphony TIM, Siemens, Erlangen) to visualize the orbit and specifically the SO.

RESULTS

Of 16 eyes, 13 demonstrated radiologic abnormalities of the SO muscle; six demonstrated tendon-trochlea complex hypertrophy, four demonstrated complete SO hypertrophy (tendon-trochlea-muscle belly), one demonstrated trochlear hypertrophy, and two demonstrated abnormalities solely of the tendons, of which one was longer and one was thinner with fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

MRI shows a high frequency of SO radiologic abnormalities in congenital Brown's syndrome. MRI permits the analysis of not only the tendon, but also the trochlea and muscle belly, whereas surgery only allows visualization of the tendon. MRI proved to be an interesting tool for investigation of these patients and for a better understanding of the pathogenesis.

[Superficial cranial venous thromboses preceding the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis]

Temporal arteritis is a large-vessel vasculitis predominantly affecting the external carotid and its branches. Venous thrombosis is rarely found at the onset of temporal arteritis, particularly when venous symptoms precede arterial involvement. We report the case of a 70-year-old woman consulting for bilateral superficial frontal venous thrombosis. Superficial bilateral temporal venous thrombosis occurred under adequate anticoagulation before the onset of arterial symptoms suggestive of temporal arteritis. We then discuss the pathophysiology of venous thrombosis in patients with temporal arteritis.

[Failed transplant patients: dialysis initiation and short-term outcome]

This study was carried out to evaluate dialysis initiation of failed transplant patient and the short-term outcome of these patients on dialysis.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

We conducted a retrospective study of transplanted patients from one centre returning in dialysis after allograft failure. Those patients were transplanted between 31st October 1986 and 3rd March 2004. Patients who experienced allograft failure after 6 months on transplantation were included in the study.

RESULTS

Among 600 transplanted patients, 92 patients restarted dialysis after allograft failure. Of the 92 failed transplant patients, 69 had a graft survival of more than 6 months. The mean glomerular filtration rate at dialysis initiation was 13+/-5mL per minute. At time of dialysis initiation, patients had mean haemoglobin level at 80.7+/-10.7g/L, and mean serum albumin level at 34+/-6g/L. Urgent dialysis was needed for 39 over 57 patients. Fourteen over 58 patients had no vascular access or peritoneal catheter at dialysis initiation. Fifty-six over 69 patients were treated by haemodialysis. Of the 13 patients treated by peritoneal dialysis 7 were on PD before transplantation whereas 49 over 57 haemodialysis patients were treated by haemodialysis before transplant failure (p<0.05). Immunosuppressive therapy was stopped during the first year following transplantation failure in 52 over 69 patients and 36 over 69 patients underwent transplantectomy. Thirteen over 56 patients presented a least one cardiovascular events after transplantation failure.

CONCLUSION

Unplanned dialysis initiation is frequent in failed transplant patients, in whom an early dialysis start is probably mandatory.

[Optimal use of peritoneal dialysis fluids in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients]

The glucose side-effects, the main osmotic agent in conventional peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions, are structural and functional changes of the peritoneal membrane, especially diabetic alterations in the microvasculature. Therefore, hyperpermeability with high small solutes transport and less ultrafiltration necessitates more and more high glucose concentration solutions. Glucose degradation products (PDF) and advanced glycation end-products (AGE) are formed and may induce peritoneal membrane alterations. More biocompatible solutions have to be used with less PDF and physiological pH. Icodextrin containing PD solutions have beneficial effect on sustained ultrafiltration for long dwells in PD, limitating fluid overload common in PD patients above all during peritonitis episodes. Amino acid-based PD solutions contribute to the prevention of malnutrition often observed in the diabetic PD population.