ABSTRACT
Our aim was to assess the clinical course and outcome of ANCA-positive, pauci-immune renal limited vasculitis, their correlation with laboratory and histopathologic parameters recorded at initial and follow up testing, and to identify the possible outcome predictors. The study included 17 patients with renal biopsy, clinical, serologic and histopathologic parameters meeting the criteria for pauci-immune ANCA-positive glomerulonephritis without extrarenal manifestations of the disease. Creatinine clearance, 24-hour proteinuria and ANCA titer by ELISA method were determined at disease onset, during treatment and at the end of follow up. In 15 patients, the diagnosis was verified by kidney biopsy. Data were processed by Spearman correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney test, and survival by Kaplan-Meier test. Lower percentage of glomeruli affected with vasculitis, better initial renal function as measured by serum creatinine or creatinine clearance, and lower chronicity on biopsy were identified as favorable indicators of kidney function outcome. Therapy responders had highest initial and lowest final 24-h proteinuria. The highest level of final 24-h proteinuria was recorded in dialysis dependent patients. The cumulative one-year and two-year patient and kidney survival rate was 64% and 50%, and 64% and 38%, respectively.
Subject(s)
Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis/diagnosis , Glomerulonephritis/diagnosis , Aged , Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis/therapy , Chronic Disease , Female , Glomerulonephritis/immunology , Glomerulonephritis/therapy , Humans , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Male , Prognosis , Remission Induction , Renal DialysisABSTRACT
Ectopic parathyroid adenoma is a frequent cause of persistent or recurrent hyperparathyroidism after parathyroidectomy in patients with chronic renal failure on dialysis. An unusual anatomic localization of parathyroid adenoma may make the diagnosis and surgery difficult. In a 41-year-old woman with chronic renal failure, increased serum level of parathyroid hormone and symptoms of progressive renal osteodystrophy, mediastinal parathyroid adenoma was detected in the aorticopulmonary window by 99m Tc sesta MIBI scintigraphy and transmission computed tomography. Extirpation of adenoma, sized 3 x 2 cm, was performed through a left thoracotomy. Serum parathormone level returned to normal and the patient steadily recovered.
