ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: As an initial treatment for primary membranous nephropathy (PMN), there remains a significant proportion of patients for whom rituximab is not fully effective. Here, we aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of obinutuzumab as initial treatment in patients with PMN. METHODS: In this observational case series, patients diagnosed with PMN and treated with obinutuzumab as initial treatment were included. Treatment response was assessed by 24-h urine total protein (24 h UTP) and serum albumin, and immunologic remission was assessed by phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibodies. RESULTS: Twelve patients with PMN receiving obinutuzumab as initial treatment were included. Over 6 months, a statistically significant reduction in 24 h UTP levels (p = 0.003) and an increase in serum albumin levels were observed (p < 0.001). By the 6-month follow-up, two patients (16.7%) achieved complete remission, eight (66.6%) reached partial remission, and two (16.7%) showed no remission. Immunological remission was observed in 44.4% of evaluable patients (n = 9) after 3 months, increasing to 100% (6/6) at 6 months. Except for cases 1, 2, and 3, the total B cell counts in the remaining patients fell to less than 5 cells/µL before the administration of the second dose of obinutuzumab, including seven patients with counts as low as 0 cells/µL. Mild to moderate treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 58.3% (7/12) of the patients. No serious TRAEs were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Obinutuzumab demonstrates promising potential as an initial treatment for PMN, with good effectiveness and a manageable safety profile. Further large-scale prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hyponatremia (serum sodium concentration < 135 mmol/L) is the most common electrolyte abnormality and is a predictor of the mortality of hospitalized patients in Western countries. However, hyponatremia data are lacking in Asian countries. Here we evaluate the epidemiology and mortality of hyponatremia in general medical hospitalized patients in China. METHODS: This is a cohort study of 154,378 adults who were hospitalized between 2008 and 2012 at a teaching hospital in Beijing. We identified hospital patients with hyponatremia and calculated the prevalence and in-hospital mortality of hyponatremia. We also conducted a comprehensive retrospective review of the medical records of patients who had severe hyponatremia (serum sodium <120 mmol/L) during hospitalization in 2012. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hyponatremia at some point during hospitalization was 17.5% (26,990 patients), but only 0.26% (394 patients) of cases were identified with the diagnostic code of hyponatremia. Hyponatremia was more common in patients with infectious disease, cancer, or cardiovascular disease as the primary reason for hospitalization based on discharge diagnosis, with prevalences of 33.0, 25.9 and 24.9%, respectively. The in-hospital mortality was 0.48% amongst patients without hyponatremia compared to 3.57 and 20.23% in patients with serum sodium levels of 130-134 and <120 mmol/L, resulting in multivariable adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 4.8 (95% CI 4.3-5.4) and 32.9 (95% CI 25.2-42.3), respectively. The mortality risk increased with increasing severity of hyponatremia in all diagnostic groups. After the multivariate adjustment, only the Charlson Comorbidity Index and age were independently associated with death risk (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.14-1.64 and OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.09, respectively) in the patients with severe hyponatremia. CONCLUSIONS: Hyponatremia is highly prevalent among Chinese hospitalized patients and is associated with increased in-hospital mortality risk. Physicians should raise awareness to improve the prognosis of hyponatremia.
