RESUMO
AIM: To evaluate severity of nephrinuria (NU) as a marker of podocyte dysfunction (PD) in patients with proteinuric forms of chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) and to specify efficacy of this test for assessment of activity and prognosis of CGN. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 74 CGN patients: 18 with inactive nephritis (group 1), 18--with subnephrotic proteinuria (group 2), 38--with nephrotic syndrome--NS (group 3). The control group consisted of 10 healthy subjects. Urinary excretion of nephrin was studied with indirect enzyme immunoassay. A response to immunosuppressive treatment (IST) was studied in 23 NS patients depending on a baseline NU level. RESULTS: An NU level was higher in patients with proteinuric forms of CGN (groups 2 and 3) than in inactive disease and in healthy subjects, in NS patients significantly higher than in less severe proteinuria. NU was significantly higher in arterial hypertension, in persistent NS. Remission of NS was achieved within 6 months of treatment in 9 of 11 (82%) patients with a baseline NU level < 17 ng/ml. Eight from 12 (67%) patients with high NU did not respond to IST conducted for 9 months to 2 years. ROC-curve construction showed that NU assessment in NS patients has high informative value in assessment of prognosis and efficacy of treatment in 6 months to come. CONCLUSION: The NU test in CGN patients is an informative diagnostic test allowing prognosis of a response to IST and assessment of PD severity.
