Oxidative stress and homocysteine metabolism in patients with lupus nephritis.

The objective of this study was to compare oxidative status and homocysteinemia in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) and in controls. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), reactive oxygen species (ROS), homocysteine and related vitamins were measured in 68 patients with LN and in 50 controls. LN patients had lower TAC (p = 0.05) and higher ROS and homocysteinemia (p = 0.01) than controls. TAC, significantly lower in active than in quiescent LN (p = 0.01), was correlated with albuminemia (p = 0.02), inversely with proteinuria (p = 0.01) and anti-DNA antibodies (p = 0.004). ROS values, higher both in active and in inactive LN, correlated with age (p = 0.02), C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.0005) and inversely with prednisone dosage (p = 0.05). At multivariate analysis, CRP (p = 0.04) and age (p = 0.005) were independent ROS predictors. Homocysteine, higher in active than in quiescent LN (p = 0.016) and in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (p=0.05), correlated with serum creatinine (p = 0.00001) and proteinuria (p = 0.015). At multivariate analysis serum creatinine (p = 0.006) and active nephritis (p = 0.003) were independent predictors of hyperhomocysteinemia. Patients with LN showed impaired oxidative status, even without clinical signs of renal activity. ROS production may be counterbalanced by adequate antioxidant capacity in some patients with quiescent LN. The association of hyperhomocysteinemia and antiphospholipid antibodies positivity may increase the risk of cardiovascular and/or thrombotic events in LN patients.

[Brain vascular disease presenting as first manifestation of temporal arteritis: report of two cases]. / Doença encéfalo-vascular como primeira manifestação de arterite temporal: relato de dois casos.

Brain vascular disease as the first presentation of temporal arteritis is unusual. We present two cases in which the diagnosis emerged from the anamnesis. A 54 years old woman has had a left cerebral infarct 3 months ago. She was getting better when severe visual loss occurred and the family decided to get a second opinion. The patient have had right hemiparesis, aphasia and a left visual disturbance in the first episode; now she had severe bilateral visual disturbance. We suspected temporal arteritis was the etiology. HSR was 97 mm and fundoscopy disclosed severe ischemic optic neuritis. A 75 years old man presented Wallenberg syndrome. The history disclosed temporal headache and the examination showed inflammation in temporal artery. HSR was 70 mm and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. "Tecnolatry" is affecting medical practice; it's necessary to put back in the center the clinical sovereignty.