Influence of Podocyte Injury on the Development of Class IV Lupus Nephritis.

Purpose: In the kidneys, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus leads to Lupus Nephritis (LN), a form of glomerulonephritis. There is evidence that patients with LN may present activation of specific pathways for podocyte injury. This injury can occur through different mechanisms such as loss of podocyte adhesion to the glomerular basement membrane, cell death or dedifferentiation. Podocyturia with consequent podocytopenia has been described in some nephropathies such as LN, highlighting the importance of studying podocyte injuries in this condition. Evaluating in situ morphological characteristics of podocytes becomes relevant for a better understanding of the processes involved in their pathogenesis. This study investigated podocytes in different classes of LN in renal biopsies performed by the Kidney Research Center at the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro. Patients and Methods: Twenty control cases and 29 biopsy cases diagnosed with LN were selected, divided according to the histopathological classes of the disease. Podocyte density was assessed through immunohistochemistry for Wilms tumor 1 protein and the evaluation of foot process effacement was performed by transmission electron microscopy. Results: Podocyte density was lower in the LN and this reduction was observed in all analyzed classes when compared to the control group. More foot process effacement was observed in the LN group, with more effacement in classes I/II and class IV compared to the control group. The class IV group showed more foot process effacement than the class III group and presented higher proteinuria levels compared to the classes I/II group. A strong, positive, and significant correlation was observed between the activity index and foot process effacement in the class IV group. Conclusion: Podocytes play an important role in the development of LN, and possibly, injuries to these cells are more closely related to the inflammatory/diffuse proliferative cellular process developed in class IV LN.

Exploring kidney biopsy findings in congenital heart diseases: Insights beyond cyanotic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: The association between congenital heart disease and chronic kidney disease is well known. Various mechanisms of kidney damage associated with congenital heart disease have been established. The etiology of kidneydisease has commonly been considered to be secondary to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), however, this has only been demonstrated in case reports and not in observational or clinical trials. AIM: To identify baseline and clinical characteristics, as well as the findings in kidney biopsies of patients with congenital heart disease in our hospital. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study conducted at the Nephrology Department of the National Institute of Cardiology "Ignacio Chávez". All patients over 16 years old who underwent percutaneous kidney biopsy from January 2000 to January 2023 with congenital heart disease were included in the study. RESULTS: Ten patients with congenital heart disease and kidney biopsy were found. The average age was 29.00 years ± 15.87 years with pre-biopsy proteinuria of 6193 mg/24 h ± 6165 mg/24 h. The most common congenital heart disease was Fallot's tetralogy with 2 cases (20%) and ventricular septal defect with 2 (20%) cases. Among the 10 cases, one case of IgA nephropathy and one case of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with immune complexes were found, receiving specific treatment after histopathological diagnosis, delaying the initiation of kidney replacement therapy. Among remaining 8 cases (80%), one case of FSGS with perihilar variety was found, while the other 7 cases were non-specific FSGS. CONCLUSION: Determining the cause of chronic kidney disease can help in delaying the need for kidney replacement therapy. In 2 out of 10 patients in our study, interventions were performed, and initiation of kidney replacement therapy was delayed. Prospective studies are needed to determine the usefulness of kidney biopsy in patients with congenital heart disease.

Epidemiological, immunological, and treatment response profile of patients with lupus nephritis in Brazil.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Brazil has the largest number of individuals of African descent outside Africa and a very admixed population. Among cases of lupus nephritis (LN) in the country, there are differences in incidence, and even in severity, depending on the location and characteristics of the population studied. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of LN in Brazil, as well as to determine which of those characteristics would be risk factors for a poor renal prognosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective, descriptive observational study of patients diagnosed with LN who underwent kidney biopsy between 1999 and 2015 in the Nephrology Department of the Hospital das Clínicas, in São Paulo, Brazil. Data were collected from electronic medical records. RESULTS: We evaluated 398 patients, among who 94.1% and 77.7% tested positive for antinuclear antibodies and anti-DNA antibodies, respectively, whereas 33.7% showed the full-house pattern. The time from LN symptom onset to biopsy was <6 months in 47.5% (early biopsy group) and ≥6 months in 52.5% (late biopsy group). In the early biopsy group, the chronicity index was lower and the activity index was higher. Multivariate analysis showed that a higher chronicity index was the only independent risk factor for progression to requiring kidney replacement therapy. CONCLUSION: Late biopsy seems to be associated with negative renal outcomes in LN. However, it seems that a higher chronicity index is the main predictor of a poor renal outcome among patients with LN in Brazil.

Renal biopsy in diabetic patients: clinical indicators and pathological findings / Biopsia renal en pacientes diabéticos: indicadores clínicos y hallazgos patológicos

ABSTRACT Background: In addition to diabetic nephropathies (DNP), prevalence of nondiabetic nephropathies (NDNP) is also known to be frequent in patients diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes mellitus (DM). Early diagnosis of these conditions is important for the treatment and prognosis of these patients. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between clinical and laboratory findings of type 2 diabetic patients' renal biopsies. Material and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 140 patients who had diagnosis of type 2 DM and underwent renal biopsy from July 2020- August 2022 at nephrology clinics of Hospital Umraniye. Renal biopsy results, presence of hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, hematuria, proteinuria; duration of the disease, biopsy indications, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, albumin, and proteinuria levels in 24h urine were measured. The statistical significance level was determined as p<0,05. Results: NDNP were detected in 43,7% of the patients. Among these the most common diagnosis was interstitial nephritis (20%). The most common biopsy indication was found to be nephrotic range proteinuria (30,7%). The difference between the DNP and NDNP patients' renal biopsy indications was statistically significant (p<0,001). DNP patients had a higher retinopathy incidence (60%,11%, p<0,001). A statistically significant difference was detected between the disease duration of DNP and NDNP groups (11,23 +5,74 years, p:0,002). According to multivariate regression analysis DR and HbA1c value, more than 7% have 4, 482 and 4,591-fold increased the risk of DNP incidence (p=0,021, p:0,024). Conclusion: Early diagnosis of DNP and NDNP of diabetic patients by performing renal biopsies affects the treatment and prognosis of the patients. Therefore, when evaluating diabetic patients, its necessary not to overlook the findings suggestive of NDNP.

RESUMEN Antecedentes: Además de las nefropatías diabéticas (DNP), también se conoce la prevalencia frecuente de nefropatías no diabéticas (NDNP) en pacientes diagnosticados con Diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM). El diagnóstico precoz de estas condiciones es importante para el tratamiento y pronóstico de estos pacientes. Objetivo: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar las relaciones entre los hallazgos clínicos y de laboratorio de las biopsias renales de pacientes diabéticos tipo 2. Material y Métodos: Revisamos retrospectivamente las historias clínicas de 140 pacientes que tenían diagnóstico de DM tipo 2, desde julio de 2020 hasta agosto de 2022, y se les realizó biopsia renal en las clínicas de nefrología del Hospital Umraniye. Se revisaron los resultados de biopsia renal, presencia de hipertensión arterial, retinopatía diabética, hematuria y proteinuria así como también la duración de la enfermedad, las indicaciones de la biopsia, la hemoglobina glucosilada (HbA1c), la creatinina sérica, el nitrógeno ureico en sangre, la albúmina y los niveles de proteinuria en orina de 24 h. El nivel de significación estadística se determinó como p<0,05. Resultados: se detectaron NDNP en el 43,7% de los pacientes. Entre estos, el diagnóstico más común fue la nefritis intersticial (20%). La indicación de biopsia más frecuente resultó ser la proteinuria en rango nefrótico (30,7%). La diferencia entre las indicaciones de biopsia renal de los pacientes DNP y NDNP fue estadísticamente significativa (p<0,001). Los pacientes con DNP tuvieron una mayor incidencia de retinopatía (60%, 11%, p<0,001). Se detectó una diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre la duración de la enfermedad de los grupos DNP y NDNP (11,23 +5,74 años, p:0,002). De acuerdo con el análisis de regresión multivariado, la presencia de DR y el valor de HbA1c en más del 7% tienen 4,482 y 4,591 veces mayor riesgo de incidencia de DNP (p = 0,021, p: 0,024). Conclusión: El diagnóstico precoz de DNP y NDNP de pacientes diabéticos mediante la realización de biopsias renales afecta el tratamiento y pronóstico de los pacientes. Por lo tanto, al evaluar pacientes diabéticos, es necesario no pasar por alto los hallazgos sugestivos de NDNP.

German Shorthaired Pointer dogs with exfoliative cutaneous lupus erythematosus develop immune-complex membranous glomerulonephropathy.

German Shorthaired Pointer (GSHP) dogs with a UNC93B1 gene mutation develop exfoliative cutaneous lupus erythematosus (ECLE) and kidney disease resembling lupus nephritis in humans. The objective of this study was to characterize the kidney disease by light microscopy, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy in a population of GSHP dogs with ECLE. Medical records were reviewed, and light microscopy of kidneys from 7 GSHP dogs with a previous histologic diagnosis of ECLE was performed. Immunofluorescence of fresh-frozen kidney from 1 dog and transmission electron microscopy of kidney from that dog and 2 additional dogs were performed. Five of 7 dogs had proteinuria diagnosed by urinalysis or urine protein-to-creatinine ratio. Two of 7 dogs were intermittently hypoalbuminemic, and none were azotemic. Histologic findings included early (2 dogs) to late (5 dogs) membranous glomerulonephropathy characterized by mild-to-severe glomerular capillary loop thickening and tubular proteinosis. In all 7 cases, trichrome staining revealed red granular immune deposits on the subepithelial surface of the glomerular basement membrane. Immunofluorescence revealed strong granular labeling for immunoglobulins and complement protein C3. Electron microscopy demonstrated subepithelial electron-dense immune deposits encircled by the remodeled glomerular basement membrane. These findings are diagnostic of immune-complex membranous glomerulonephropathy and are similar to class V lupus in humans. This cohort of GSHP dogs with ECLE developed immune-complex membranous glomerulonephropathy, which we hypothesize is a manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus. GSHP dogs with ECLE should undergo clinical evaluation of renal function for early identification and treatment.

Isolated massive histiocytes renal interstitial infiltration: a case report of an unexpected cause of acute kidney injury in a kidney transplant recipient.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury is a frequent cause of hospital readmission in kidney transplant recipients (KTR), usually associated with infections and graft rejection. Herein, we report a case of an unusual cause of acute kidney injury in a KTR (massive histiocytes renal interstitial infiltration). CASE PRESENTATION: A 40-year-old woman was submitted to a second kidney transplant. One year after surgery, she presented asthenia, myalgia, and fever, haemoglobin 6.1 g/dL; neutrophils: 1.3 × 109/µL; platelets: 143 × 109/µL; blood creatinine 11.8 mg/dL, requiring dialysis. A kidney biopsy revealed diffuse histiocytic infiltration, which was assumed due to dysregulated immunological activation triggered by infections. The patient had multiple infections, including cytomegalovirus infection (CMV), aspergillosis, bacteraemia, and urinary tract infections, which could trigger the immune response. Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) was ruled out. The present case highlights the occurrence of isolated massive renal interstitial infiltration of histiocytes that does not meet the criteria for HLH or other related pathologies. CONCLUSIONS: Renal histiocyte activation and infiltration may have been initiated by an immunological mechanism similar to what occurs in HLH and infectious processes. The present case highlights the occurrence of isolated massive renal interstitial infiltration of histiocytes that does not meet the criteria for HLH or other related pathologies.

Retinal arterial occlusive vasculitis following IgA nephropathy: A case report.

PURPOSE: To discuss diagnosis and management in the case of a patient presenting with bilateral ischemic retinal vasculopathy associated with a previously undiagnosed IgA nephropathy. CASE REPORT: In 2021, a 35-year-old male presented with a sudden onset asymmetric bilateral (OU) visual loss. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/200 OD, and no light perception (NLP) OS with an associated relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD). Slit-lamp examination (SLE) confirmed normal anterior segment anatomy OU. Indirect ophthalmoscopy and subsequent fluorescein angiography (FA) confirmed the presence of bilateral arterial attenuation, telangiectatic lesions, associated perivascular sheathing, and capillary leakage. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed multiple areas of thinning of the inner retina. This constellation of diagnostic findings was highly suggestive of a bilateral ischemic retinal vasculopathy with an inflammatory vasculitis. Based on a high index of suspicion for a systemic etiology, nephrology was consulted, and a diagnosis of IgA nephropathy was confirmed by renal biopsy. Systemic immunomodulatory therapy was initiated. CONCLUSION: Although it is among the most commonly occurring forms of glomerulonephritis leading to renal failure, IgA nephropathy rarely presents with a bilateral retinal vasculopathy. Schölein - Henoch purpura, the other primary disease associated with glomerular IgA deposition, may be indistinguishable from primary IgA nephropathy. A comprehensive retinal examination with multimodal functional and structural ophthalmic diagnostic testing in conjunction with renal biopsy was needed to confirm the diagnosis. It is critical to include primary renal pathology when formulating a differential diagnosis for cases of bilateral retinal vasculitis, particularly in young otherwise healthy patients.

Glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva secundaria a vasculitis pauciinmune, entidad poco frecuente: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura

Introducción las vasculitis asociadas a anticuerpos anticitoplasma de neutrófilos (ANCA) son un grupo heterogéneo de patologías, caracterizadas por la inflamación y la destrucción de vasos sanguíneos de pequeño y mediano calibre, asociados a la presencia de ANCA circulantes. Se presentan con una amplia variedad de signos y síntomas y, si no se tratan, conllevan a una alta morbimortalidad. Estos constituyen una causa poco frecuente de glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva y lesión renal aguda con necesidad de soporte renal, por lo que se requiere un alto índice de sospecha en el abordaje inicial. Objetivo con el presente artículo se busca sensibilizar al personal médico sobre la necesidad de una búsqueda activa de vasculitis como causa de glomerulonefritis y el impacto del diagnóstico y tratamiento tempranos en la condición clínica del paciente. Presentación del caso paciente masculino de 65 años atendido en un centro hospitalario de referencia en la ciudad de Pereira, Risaralda, quien debuta con glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva secundaria a poliangeítis microscópica en su posoperatorio de prostatectomía, y que progresa a lesión renal aguda con necesidad de inicio de soporte renal de tipo hemodiálisis intermitente; posterior a realizar biopsia renal y perfil de autoinmunidad, se confirma el diagnóstico de vasculitis tipo poliangeítis microscópica, se inicia manejo específico inmunosupresor, con lo que se logra la remisión de la enfermedad y con ello una mejoría en la función renal que permite suspender la terapia de reemplazo renal. Actualmente el paciente permanece asintomático, con remisión de su enfermedad con manejo inmunosupresor, asistiendo a controles ambulatorios con Nefrología sin mención de complicaciones secundarias a terapia farmacológica. Discusión y conclusión En las vasculitis asociadas a los anticuerpos anticitoplasma de neutrólos (ANCA), el diagnóstico oportuno y el establecimiento de una terapia inmunomoduladora adecuada son el pilar fundamental en el abordaje de esta entidad. Un diagnóstico tardío está directamente relacionado con un pobre pronóstico a corto plazo. El diagnóstico oportuno requiere de un índice de sospecha apropiado

Introduction Vasculitis associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are a heterogeneous group of pathologies; characterized by the inflammation and destruction of small and medium caliber blood vessels associated with the presence of circulating ANCA. They present with a wide variety of signs and symptoms and, if left untreated, lead to high morbidity and mortality; They are a rare cause of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and acute kidney injury requiring renal support, which is why a high index of suspicion is required in the initial approach. Purpose This article seeks to sensitize the medical personnel for the need of an active search for vasculitis as a cause of glomerulonephritis and the impact of early diagnosis and treatment in the patient's clinical condition. Case presentation We report the case of a 65-year-old male patient treated in a reference hospital in the city of Pereira, Risaralda, who debuted with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis secondary to microscopic polyangiitis in his postoperative period of a prostatectomy, progressing to acute kidney injury needing to start renal support such as intermittent hemodialysis; after performing a renal biopsy and autoimmunity profile, the diagnosis of microscopic polyangiitis-type vasculitis is confirmed, specific immunosuppressive management is initiated, which achieves remission of the disease and with it an improvement in renal function that allows the suspension of renal replacement therapy, y, currently a patient He remains asymptomatic, with remission, with immunosuppressive management, attending outpatient controls with nephrology without mention of complications secondary to pharmacological therapy. Discussion and conclusion In antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA)-Associated Vasculitis , timely diagnosis and the establishment of adequate immunomodulatory therapy are the fundamental pillars in the approach to this entity. A late diagnosis is directly related to a poor short-term prognosis. Timely diagnosis requires an appropriate index of suspicion.

Delayed Graft Function Under the Microscope: Surveillance Biopsies in Kidney Transplantation.

Delayed graft function (DGF) is a common complication of kidney transplantation and frequently leads to the necessity of surveillance biopsies. The purpose of this study is to describe the histological findings in surveillance biopsies of deceased donor kidney transplant recipients and evaluate the risk factors for graft outcomes. This is a monocentric, retrospective study including kidney transplant recipients that underwent a graft biopsy during the DGF period between January 2006 and July 2019. 356 biopsies were performed in 335 deceased donor transplant recipients. Biopsies were analyzed according to the Banff classification. The main histological findings were: acute tubular necrosis in 150 biopsies (42.1%), acute rejection in 96 biopsies (26.9%), and borderline findings in 91 biopsies (25.5%). In the multivariate analysis, recipient age (p = 0.028) and DGF duration (p = 0.005) were associated with rejection, antibody-induction with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) was protective (p = 0.001). The occurrence of rejection was associated with lower death-censored graft survival (log-rank; p = 0.009). Surveillance biopsies of kidney grafts experiencing DGF remain an essential tool for the care of kidney transplant recipients. The recipient's age and duration of DGF are independent risk factors for acute rejection, while antibody-induction therapy with ATG is associated with protection from its occurrence.

Collapsing Glomerulopathy: A Review by the Collapsing Brazilian Consortium.

Collapsing glomerulopathy (CG) is a clinicopathologic entity characterized by segmentar or global collapse of the glomerulus and hypertrophy and hyperplasia of podocytes. The Columbia classification of 2004 classified CG as a histological subtype of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). A growing number of studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of CG in many countries, especially among populations with a higher proportion of people with African descent. The present study is a narrative review of articles extracted from PubMed, Medline, and Scielo databases from September 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. We have focused on populational studies (specially cross-sectional and cohort articles). CG is defined as a podocytopathy with a distinct pathogenesis characterized by strong podocyte proliferative activity. The most significant risk factors for CG include APOL1 gene mutations and infections with human immunodeficiency virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. CG typically presents with more severe symptoms and greater renal damage. The prognosis is notably worse than that of other FSGS subtypes.

Nephrotic syndrome in the elderly: epidemiological aspects, clinical data, and renal biopsy findings

Nephrotic syndrome is the most common clinical presentation of glomerular disease in elderly patients, and renal biopsy is an important diagnostic resource. The aim of this study was to describe nephrotic syndrome among elderly patients in Brazil, focusing on tubulointerstitial and vascular involvement. This was a retrospective study of patients over 65 years of age with nephrotic syndrome who underwent renal biopsy between January 2012 and December 2019. Of the 123 renal biopsies that occurred during the study period, 44 (35.8%) were performed for the investigation of nephrotic syndrome. Among those 44 cases, the main etiologies were membranous nephropathy in 13 cases (29.5%), amyloidosis in ten (22.7%), non-collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in four (9.1%), and collapsing FSGS in four (9.1%). Patients with minimal change disease (MCD) had the lowest degree of interstitial fibrosis compared with the other glomerulopathies, and histological signs of acute tubular necrosis (ATN) were less common among those with amyloidosis than among those with membranous nephropathy, FSGS, or MCD (P=0.0077). Of the patients with ATN, the frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI) was highest in those with MCD (P<0.001). All patients had some degree of vascular involvement, regardless of the type of glomerulopathy. In conclusion, the second most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in this population was amyloidosis, and acute interstitial tubule involvement was more marked in MCD. Vascular involvement is something that cannot be dissociated from the age of the patient and is not only due to the underlying glomerulopathy.

Understanding tubulointerstitial injury and repair mechanisms paves the way for renal outcome improvement in lupus nephritis / Entender la lesión tubulointersticial y los mecanismos de reparación será la vía para mejorar los desenlaces renales en nefritis lúpica

ABSTRACT Despite improvements in patient survival and quality of life, long-term renal survival has not changed significantly in the recent decades and nephritis relapses affect over 50% of patients with lupus nephritis. Renal fibrosis affecting the tubulointerstitial compartment is a central determinant of the prognosis of any kidney disease. Notwithstanding this evidence, the current 2003 ISN/RPS classification still focuses on glomerular pathology and does not include a mandatory score with clear subcategories of the tubulointerstitial injury in the biopsy. The pathogenesis, and the morphological and molecular characteristics of this process in patients with lupus nephritis will be considered, together with a discussion about the concepts the clinician needs to efficiently address in this injury during daily practice and in future clinical trials. Both tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis are strongly correlated with poor renal outcomes in lupus nephritis, regardless of the extent of glomerular damage. Therefore, it is essential to develop reliable and noninvasive approaches to predict which patients are most likely to develop CKD so that appropriate interventions can be adopted before ESRD is established. Currently, no ideal method for monitoring kidney fibrosis exists, since repeated renal biopsies are invasive. Promising methods for assessing and monitoring fibrosis non-invasively include imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging or ex vivo confocal microscopy, integrated in computational and digital pathology techniques. Finally, beyond specific immunosuppressive treatment in Lupus Nephritis, identifying and treating cardiovascular risk factors should be a cornerstone of treatment in these patients.

RESUMEN A pesar de las mejoras en la sobrevida de los pacientes y su calidad de vida, la sobrevida renal en el largo plazo no ha cambiado significativamente durante las últimas décadas, y las recidivas nefríticas afectan a más del 50% de los pacientes con nefritis lúpica. La fibrosis renal, que afecta el compartimiento tubulointersticial, es un factor determinante central en el pronóstico de todas las patologías renales. A pesar de la evidencia, la actual clasificación ISN/RPS del 2003 todavía se concentra en la patología glomerular y no incluye un score obligatorio con claras subcategorías de la lesión tubulointersticial en la biopsia. Se hablará de la patogenia y las características morfológicas y moleculares de este proceso en pacientes con nefritis lúpica, así como de los conceptos que el clínico necesita para abordar esta lesión de manera eficiente en su práctica cotidiana y en los estudios clínicos a futuro. Tanto la inflamación tubulointersticial como la fibrosis se relacionan fuertemente con desenlaces renales pobres en la nefritis lúpica, con independencia de la extensión del dañío glomerular. Resulta por lo tanto esencial desarrollar sistemas confiables y no invasivos para predecir cuáles pacientes tendrán mayor probabilidad de desarrollar enfermedad renal crónica, a fin de realizar las intervenciones apropiadas antes de que se establezca la enfermedad renal terminal (ERT). En la actualidad, no existe un método ideal para monitorear la fibrosis renal, dado que las biopsias repetidas son procedimientos invasivos. Algunos de los métodos promisorios para evaluar y monitorear la fibrosis de manera no invasiva son las técnicas de imágenes, tales como la resonancia magnética o la microscopía confocal ex vivo, integradas en técnicas de patología computarizadas y digitales. Finalmente, más allá del tratamiento inmunosupresor específico para la nefritis lúpica, identificar y tratar los factores de riesgo cardiovascular deberá ser uno de los pilares de tratamiento en estos pacientes.

High prevalence of end-stage renal disease of unknown origin in Aguascalientes Mexico: role of the registry of chronic kidney disease and renal biopsy in its approach and future directions.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the pathologies with the greatest impact on the public health system. Over the last few decades, the relevance of CKD in Mexico has increased, with associated overwhelming costs for care of renal disease. There are no reliable CKD statistics in Mexico. METHODOLOGY: In June 2018, the government of Aguascalientes called on all Health Institutions to create a state registry of treated end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In the same system, a renal biopsy result registry included all the native kidney biopsies obtained in the state of Aguascalientes since 2012. We herein describe the prevalence, incidence and characteristics of the patients included in the CKD and renal biopsy registry in the state of Aguascalientes. RESULTS: As of April 2020, the state has documented 2827 patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT), 1877 on dialysis and 950 that have been transplanted. The prevalence of patients on dialysis is 1326 per million population (p.m.p.), and if transplanted individuals are included, it is 1997 p.m.p. The incidence of treated ESRD in 2019 was 336 p.m.p. (n = 474) in individuals with an average age of 45.6 years (standard deviation ±18), and in a higher proportion of men (61%). There is a bimodal distribution of the age at which RRT was initiated. The first and the most significant peaks are between the ages of 20 and 40 years and are usually the result of CKD of unknown cause (73%). The second peak is between 50 and 70 years of age, and CKD is usually the result of diabetes mellitus and systemic arterial hypertension (59.6%). Since January 2012, 423 biopsies have been recorded. The patient's ages were between 20 and 30 years (n = 112), and the most frequent diagnosis was focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (54%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of treated ESRD in the state of Aguascalientes is high. The disease mostly afflicts young people between 20 and 40 years of age, and there is a clear male predominance. In this age group, the main clinical diagnosis is CKD of unknown origin, and the most frequent biopsy diagnosis was FSGS.

Renal Morphology in Coronavirus Disease: A Literature Review.

Renal biopsy is useful to better understand the histological pattern of a lesion (glomerular, tubulointerstitial, and vascular) and the pathogenesis that leads to kidney failure. The potential impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on the kidneys is still undetermined, and a variety of lesions are seen in the kidney tissue of coronavirus disease patients. This review is based on the morphological findings of patients described in case reports and a series of published cases. A search was conducted on MEDLINE and PubMed of case reports and case series of lesions in the presence of non-critical infection by SARS-CoV-2 published until 15/09/2020. We highlight the potential of the virus directly influencing the damage or the innate and adaptive immune response activating cytokine and procoagulant cascades, in addition to the genetic component triggering glomerular diseases, mainly collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial, and even vascular diseases. Kidney lesions caused by SARS-CoV-2 are frequent and have an impact on morbidity and mortality; thus, studies are needed to assess the morphological kidney changes and their mechanisms and may help define their spectrum and immediate or long-term impact.

Renal expression of cytokines and chemokines in diabetic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Inflammatory mediators have been implicated in the pathogenesis of DN, thus considered an inflammatory disease. However, further studies are required to assess the renal damage caused by the action of these molecules. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the expression of cytokines and chemokines in renal biopsies from patients with DN and to correlate it with interstitial inflammation and decreased renal function. METHODS: Forty-four native renal biopsies from patients with DN and 23 control cases were selected. In situ expression of eotaxin, MIP-1α (macrophage inflammatory protein-1α), IL-8 (interleukin-8), IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), TNFR1 (tumor necrosis factor receptor-1), IL-1ß, and IL-6 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The DN group showed a significant increase in IL-6 (p < 0.0001), IL-1ß (p < 0.0001), IL-4 (p < 0.0001) and eotaxin (p = 0.0012) expression, and a decrease in TNFR1 (p = 0.0107) and IL-8 (p = 0.0262) expression compared to the control group. However, there were no significant differences in IL-10 (p = 0.4951), TNF-α (p = 0.7534), and MIP-1α (p = 0.3816) expression among groups. Regarding interstitial inflammation, there was a significant increase in IL-6 in scores 0 and 1 compared to score 2 (p = 0.0035), in IL-10 in score 2 compared to score 0 (p = 0.0479), and in eotaxin in score 2 compared to scores 0 and 1 (p < 0.0001), whereas IL-8 (p = 0.0513) and MIP-1α (p = 0.1801) showed no significant differences. There was a tendency for negative correlation between eotaxin and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (p = 0.0566). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated an increased in situ production of cytokines and chemokines in DN, including IL-6, IL-1ß, IL-4, and eotaxin. It was observed that, possibly, eotaxin may have an important role in the progression of interstitial inflammation in DN and in eGFR decrease of these patients.

Sonographically determined kidney measurements are better able to predict histological changes and a low CKD-EPI eGFR when weighted towards cortical echogenicity.

BACKGROUND: The renal length and cortical echogenicity have shown correlation to the renal function and histological changes in CKD patients. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of crude and composite ultrasound parameters based on kidney measurements and cortical echogenicity to detect renal dysfunction and histological changes. METHODS: Kidney sonography and biopsy were performed in 112 patients. Histological changes were graded in 0, < 25%, ≥25%, ≤50 and > 50% of the sample. Cortical echogenicity was graded relative to liver or spleen parenchyma: less than, equal to and higher than the liver/spleen. Kidney length, the kidney length/body height ratio (KL/H) and cortical thickness were obtained. Each parameter was multiplied by a cortical echogenicity-weighting arbitrary factor: 1.17, 1 or 0.69 for cortex less than, equal to or higher than the liver, respectively. The GFR was estimated using the CKD-EPI formula. The accuracy of crude and composite parameters to identify patients with a high creatinine, a low GFR and histological changes were evaluated. RESULTS: The discriminative power of kidney length and cortical thickness for renal dysfunction and histological changes was improved after weighting for cortical echogenicity. However, the best discriminative was the kidney length to height ratio weighted towards renal echogenicity (w-KL/H). CONCLUSION: w-KL/H exceeded the other parameters as a marker of renal impairment and histological changes in CKD. Calculation of the w-KL/H index may be of help as a non-invasive tool to identify patients with significant renal disease and might be useful to guide therapeutic decisions.

Rebiopsias en glomerulonefritis asociadas a ANCA: ¿Cuál es su utilidad en la toma de decisiones? / Rebiopsies in ANCA associated glomerulonephritis: What is its use in making decisions?

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la utilidad de la rebiopsia renal en pacientes con glomerulonefritis ANCA en la toma de decisiones. Se incluyeron en forma retrospectiva todos los pacientes con glomerulonefritis ANCA diagnosticados por biopsia renal entre enero de 2002 y mayo de 2017. Se revisó la histología de las rebiopsias y fue correlacionada con los hallazgos clínicos (hematuria, proteinuria y caída del filtrado) y resultados histológicos de la primera y segunda biopsia. Sesenta pacientes (77% mujeres) fueron incluidos. De ellos, 15 (25%) fueron sometidos a una rebiopsia durante el seguimiento. La media de tiempo hasta la rebiopsia fue de 38,4 meses (DS 20,4). En el grupo de rebiopsia, la presencia de hematuria, proteinuria y caída del filtrado glomerular se observó en el 73%, 73% y 60% de pacientes, respectivamente. No encontramos una correlación entre las lesiones activas (semilunas, necrosis) con la presencia de hematuria o caída del filtrado glomerular. En un gran porcentaje, la histología renal mostró progresión en términos de cronicidad y con menor frecuencia lesiones de actividad. A pesar de esto, en el 67% de los pacientes se realizó un cambio de tratamiento, iniciando una nueva terapia de inducción, alcanzando una respuesta renal en el 85% de los casos.

The aim of this study was to evaluate usefulness of renal re-biopsy in patients with ANCA glomerulonephritis in treatment decisions. We included retrospectively all patients with biopsy-proven ANCA glomerulonephritis between January 2002 and May 2017. We analysed patient's baseline characteristics at the time of re-biopsy, presence of microscopic hematuria, proteinuria and/or decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and time to renal relapse/rebiopsy. Data of physicians' decisions after rebiopsy was collected. 60 patients (77% females) were included. Of those, 15 (25%) underwent renal re-biopsy during the follow up based on clinical manifestations. Mean time until re-biopsy was 38.4 months (SD 20.4). In the re-biopsy group, 73% of patients had new onset hematuria, 73% had new onset or worsening proteinuria (40% and 33% respectably), and 60% had decline in the GFR. When analysing histological changes in the repeat biopsy we didn't find a correlation between active lesions (crescents, necrosis etc.) and hematuria. All patients that underwent repeat biopsy were considered to be active but renal histology showed progression in terms of chronicity and rare active histological lesions. Despite this, in 67% of patients, physicians made a treatment change, initiating a new induction therapy regimen and achieving renal response in 85% of patients.

Kidney injury in systemic lupus erythematosus: lack of correlation between clinical and histological data. / Lesiones renales en el lupus eritematoso diseminado: ausencia de relación entre datos clínicos e histológicos.

BACKGROUND: The existence and type of renal involvement influences the prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and this information may be critical when it comes to taking appropriate therapeutic decisions. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate statistical correlations between clinical and histological data in patients with biopsied lupus nephropathy. METHODS: Review of clinical information in adult kidney biopsy requests reported between 2002 and 2014 with a definitive clinical and histopathological diagnosis of renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus. RESULTS: 134 cases (86% women), aged 15-59 years. Indication for renal biopsy: asymptomatic urinary abnormalities (30%), nephrotic proteinuria without hypoalbuminaemia (9%), nephrotic syndrome (19%), renal failure (40%) and two cases without clinical renal manifestations. The most common lesions were purely proliferative (68%). In patients with asymptomatic urinary abnormalities, 35% were class IV, 30% class III, 23% mixed, 10% class V and 2% class II. In subjects with nephrotic proteinuria, 75% were class IV, 17% mixed and 8% class III. In nephrotic syndrome patients, 46% were class IV, 27% class V, 19% mixed and 8% class III. In renal failure subjects, 67% were class IV, 22% mixed, 7% class III and 4% class V. These proportions were not statistically different. Although class IV showed the worst renal function, almost half (44%) of those without renal failure belonged to this class. CONCLUSION: We could not demonstrate a consistent clinical-pathological relationship that predicts patterns or severity of histological findings based on the clinical profile in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and renal manifestations. These results highlight the importance of biopsy as a key diagnostic tool in this disease.

Clinical complications in renal biopsy using two different needle gauges: The impact of large hematomas, a random clinical trial study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare complications of ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal biopsy using two needle gauges (16-G and 18-G). METHODS: A total of 238 individuals with renal biopsy indication were included and randomly separated into two groups: ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal biopsy procedure carried out with a 16-G or 18-G needle. The adequacy of biopsy samples and post-procedure complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The procedures carried out with a 16-G needle collected fragments with a mean of 22.1 ± 10.8 glomeruli, and those carried out with an 18-G needle had a mean of 17.5 ± 9.4 glomeruli. Patients submitted to renal biopsies with a 16-G needle had a higher likelihood of having a complication (OR5.1, 95% CI 1.7-15.4, P = 0.001). The overall mean volume of post-biopsy hematoma in patients with complications was significantly larger than those without complications (44 ± 56.1 mL vs 5.9 ± 6.6 mL; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Renal biopsies carried out by ultrasonography using an 18-G needle provide adequate histological analysis, showing a lower amount of glomeruli but with similar clinical quality as a 16-G needle. Furthermore, it is associated with a lower risk of procedure-related complications.

Aplicabilidade clínica dos resultados e indicadores da Nursing Outcomes Classification-Noc na avaliação de pacientes submetidos à biópsia renal percutânea / Clinical applicability of Nursing Outcomes Classification-Noc results and indicators in the evaluation of patients undergoing percutaneous renal biopsy

A biópsia renal percutânea (BRP) é considerada padrão ouro para o diagnóstico, prognóstico e tratamento das doenças renais. Com o avanço da tecnologia as complicações reduziram sobremaneira, entretanto, o procedimento ainda oferece riscos, principalmente os de sangramento, que precisam ser monitorados e minimizados. A Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) possui resultados de enfermagem (RE) compostos por indicadores clínicos, que são avaliados por uma escala Likert de cinco pontos, onde cinco é o estado mais desejável e um o menos desejável, e apresenta-se como uma alternativa para avaliação dos pacientes. Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo testar a aplicabilidade clínica da NOC na avaliação de pacientes submetidos à biópsia renal. Para isso, desenvolveu-se um estudo longitudinal prospectivo, aninhado a um ensaio clínico randomizado, realizado em um hospital universitário do sul do Brasil, conduzido em duas etapas metodológicas. A primeira etapa consistiu na seleção prévia dos resultados de enfermagem pelas pesquisadoras do estudo, com base nas possíveis complicações da biópsia renal descritas na literatura, seguida da seleção de seus indicadores realizada por enfermeiros especialistas. Além disso, foram construídas as definições conceituais e operacionais para os indicadores clínicos selecionados. Na segunda etapa da pesquisa, esses resultados e indicadores compuseram o instrumento aplicado na avaliação dos pacientes após a biópsia renal. A amostra da primeira etapa se constituiu de 12 especialistas. Na segunda etapa a amostra foi de 13 pacientes adultos submetidos à biópsia renal, calculada com base em estudos prévios. Os dados foram coletados entre fevereiro a maio de 2018. Os pacientes foram avaliados por meio de instrumento com os resultados e seus respectivos indicadores clínicos com uma escala Likert de cinco pontos, em cinco momentos diferentes dentro de 24 horas após o procedimento. A análise dos dados foi estatística, com aplicação do Teste GEE, para comparação entre os indicadores. Os resultados do estudo apontaram a seleção de cinco resultados da NOC (Coagulação sanguínea, Estado circulatório, Gravidade da perda de sangue, Nível de dor e Estado de conforto: físico) e 11 indicadores clínicos. Os pacientes do sexo masculino apresentaram maior prevalência (n=7; 53,8%) e com idade média de 46,6 (±12,3) anos. Em relação às comorbidades, 8 (61,5%) pacientes eram hipertensos, 6 (46,2%) transplantados renais e 4 (30,8%) diabéticos. Houve diferença estatisticamente significativa no resultado Coagulação sanguínea, no indicador Hematúria; no resultado Estado circulatório, nos indicadores Pressão arterial sistólica e Pressão arterial diastólica, e no resultado Estado de conforto físico, no indicador clínico Bem-estar físico. Este estudo demonstrou a factibilidade da aplicação da NOC em ambiente clínico real, como importante ferramenta para a avaliação dos pacientes após a biopsia. As informações obtidas por meio da avaliação dos indicadores permitiram monitorar o estado dos pacientes com maior precisão, sendo importantes aliadas no processo de prevenção de complicações após este procedimento invasivo. A utilização e comparação destes achados com pesquisas futuras permitirá o refinamento desta taxonomia no cenário clínico de pacientes submetidos à biópsia renal.

Percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) is a standard measure for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of renal diseases. With the advancement of technology the complications have greatly reduced, however, the procedure still presents risks, especially those of bleeding, that need to be monitored and minimized. The Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) has nursing results (NR) composed of clinical indicators, which are evaluated by a five-point Likert scale, where five is the most desirable and one the least desirable state, and presents itself as an alternative for evaluation of the patients. Thus, this study aimed to test the clinical applicability of the nursing outcomes proposed by the NOC for the nursing diagnosis (ND) risk of bleeding, in the evaluation of adult patients submitted to percutaneous renal biopsy. For this, a prospective longitudinal study, nested in a randomized clinical trial was conducted in two methodological steps at a university hospital in the south of Brazil. The first step consisted in the previous selection of the nursing outcomes by the researchers of the study, based on the possible complications of renal biopsy described in the literature, followed by the selection of its indicators and performed by specialist nurses. In addition, the conceptual and operational definitions for the selected clinical indicators were constructed. In the second stage, these outcomes and indicators comprised the instrument applied in the evaluation of patients after renal biopsy. The sample of the first stage consisted of 12 specialists. In the second stage, the sample consisted of 13 adult patients submitted to renal biopsy, calculated based on previous studies. Data were collected between February and May 2018. Patients were evaluated by instrument with the outcomes and their respective clinical indicators with a five-point Likert scale at five different times within 24 hours after the procedure. The analysis of the data was statistical, with application of the GEE Test, to compare the indicators. The results of the study indicated the selection of five NOC outcomes (Blood coagulation, Circulation status, Blood loss severity, Pain level and Comfort status: physical) and 11 clinical indicators. The patients were predominantly males (n = 7, 53.8%) and mean age was 46.6 (± 12.3) years. Regarding comorbidities, 8 (61.5%) patients were hypertensive, 4 (30.8%) were diabetic patients and 6 (46.2%) were renal transplant recipients. There was a statistically significant difference in the outcome Blood coagulation, in the indicator Hematuria; in the outcome Circulation Status, in the indicators Systolic blood pressure and Diastolic blood pressure and in the outcome Comfort Physical Status, in the clinical indicator Physical well-being. This study demonstrated the feasibility of NOC application in a real clinical setting as an important tool for the evaluation of patients after biopsy. The information obtained through the evaluation of the indicators allowed to monitor the state of the patients with greater precision, being important allies in the process of prevention of complications after this invasive procedure. The use and comparison of these findings with future research will allow the refinement of this taxonomy in the clinical scenario of patients submitted to renal biopsy.