Anticuerpos antifosfolípidos en nefropatía membranosa idiopática / Antiphospholipid antibodies in idiopathic membranous nephropathy

Background: Antiphospholipid antibodies have been found in the sera from patients with idiopathic and secondary glomerulopathies, mainly related to lupus. No special attention has been devoted to idiopathic membranous nephropathy, a glomerular disease with a high frequency of thrombotic complications, particularly of the renal vein. Aim: To study the presence and significance of antiphospholipid antibodies in idiopathic membranous nephropathy. Material and methods: Anticardiolipin and anti-ß2-glycoprotein-I IgG antibodies were measured in serum samples from 21 patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (age range 11-75 years, 5 female). The medical records of 20 of these patients were reviewed, looking for vascular complications and nephrological evolution during a follow-up period that ranged from two to 277 months. Results: Five patients had anticardiolipin antibody titers over the cutoff for normal values, and two others were positive for anti-ß2-glycoprotein-I, without cross-reactivity. There was no difference in the incidence of thrombotic complications in the renal vein, or other locations, between these seven patients and the remaining patients. No differences in the clinical course of the nephropathy were detected either. Conclusions: Antiphospholipid antibodies may be found in patients with primary membranous nephropathy. They are not related to thrombosis or a worse evolution.

Inmunosenescencia: pruebas cutáneas de hipersensibilidad retardada en adultos mayores chilenos autovalentes / Immunosenescence: delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity test in free living chilean elderly individuals

Background: Delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity tests are a globally accepted test to assess cellular immunity in vivo. The quality and quantity of the response to these type of tests, varies in different populations. Aim: To study delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity in a group of healthy Chilean elders. Material and methods: Forty two elders (32 male), aged 60 to 76 years old were studied. Multitest-CMI(r) was applied in the left forearm. This test allows the subcutaneous administration of seven antigens and a glycerin control. Results were compared with those of a group of young adults studied by the authors. Results: Among males there was a mean of 2.7 ñ 1.4 positive responses compared with women, that had 1.7 ñ 1 positive responses (p= 0.016). The sum of response diameters was 4.2 ñ 1.5 and 3.6 ñ 1.9 mm in men and women respectively (p = NS). Compared to young adults, elderly women had a lower response to tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and men had a lower response to diphtheria and Proteus mirabilis. Conclusions: Elderly people have a less intense response to delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity tests than young adults. This response must be assessed in each population to account for regional variability

Inmunosenescencia / Immunosenescence

Se presenta un breve revisión bibliográfica referente a distintos aspectos del proceso de inmunosenescencia, con sus efectos sobre diversos componentes del Sistema Inmune, incluyendo linfocitos, tanto T como B, y mecanismos de defensa inespecífica, como fagocitos. Finalmente, se presenta una breve reseña sobre las consecuencias clínicas de este proceso evolutivo