Adynamic bone disease (ABD) is increasingly recognized, especially in dialysis patients treated with oral calcium carbonate, vitamin D supplements, or supraphysiological dialysate calcium. We undertook this study to assess the effect of lowering dialysate calcium on episodes of hypercalcemia, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels as well as bone turnover. Fifty-one patients treated with peritoneal dialysis and biopsy-proven ABD were randomized to treatment with control calcium, 1.62 mM, or low calcium, 1.0 mM, dialysate calcium over a 16-month period. In the low dialysate calcium group, 14 patients completed the study. This group experienced a decrease in serum total and ionized calcium levels, and an 89% reduction in episodes of hypercalcemia, resulting in a 300% increase in serum PTH values, from 6.0+/-1.6 to 24.9+/-3.6 pM (P<0.0001). Bone formation rates, all initially suppressed, at 18.1+/-5.6 microm2/mm2/day rose to 159+/-59.4 microm2/mm2/day (P<0.05), into the normal range (>108 microm2/mm2/day). In the control group, nine patients completed the study. Their PTH levels did not increase significantly, from 7.3+/-1.6 to 9.4+/-1.5 pM and bone formation rates did not change significantly either, from 13.3+/-7.1 to 40.9+/-11.9 microm2/mm2/day. Lowering of peritoneal dialysate calcium reduced serum calcium levels and hypercalcemic episodes, which resulted in increased PTH levels and normalization of bone turnover in patients with ABD.
The presence of anti-C1-inhibitor (anti-C1-INH) autoantibodies is a hallmark of acquired C1-inhibitor deficiency. However, only scarce data are available on their prevalence, diagnostic value, and/or significance in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In a multicentre study, we determined the levels of autoantibodies to C1-inhibitor in sera from 202 patients with SLE and 134 healthy controls. Additional clinical and laboratory parameters, such as organ involvement, as well as anti-C1q, anti-double-stranded DNA antibody, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, C3 and C4 serum complement levels have been studied in patients. The level of anti-C1-INH IgG was significantly higher (p = 0.034) in SLE patients, than in the controls. A high anti-C1-INH level of > or =0.4 U/ml (mean of controls + 2 SD) was found in 17% of the patients, but in only 4% of the controls (p = 0.0003). The SLEDAI score was significantly higher (p = 0.048) and the duration of SLE was significantly longer (p = 0.0004) among patients with elevated anti-C1-INH levels compared with patients without this autoantibody (median disease duration 8 vs. 17 years, respectively). Anti-C1-INH level was not correlated with any other laboratory parameter or organ manifestation of the disease. These findings indicate that the anti-C1-INH level is higher in SLE patients than in healthy controls and furthermore, the anti-C1-INH level correlates with the duration and activity of the disease.
Background: Acquired or genetic abnormalities of the complement alternative pathway are the primary cause of C3glomerulopathy(C3G) but may occur in immune-complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) as well. Less is known about the presence and role of C4nephritic factor(C4NeF) which may stabilize the classical pathway C3-convertase. Our aim was to examine the presence of C4NeF and its connection with clinical features and with other pathogenic factors. Results: One hunfe IC-MPGN/C3G patients were enrolled in the study. C4NeF activity was determined by hemolytic assay utilizing sensitized sheep erythrocytes. Seventeen patients were positive for C4NeF with lower prevalence of renal impairment and lower C4d level, and higher C3 nephritic factor (C3NeF) prevalence at time of diagnosis compared to C4NeF negative patients. Patients positive for both C3NeF and C4NeF had the lowest C3 levels and highest terminal pathway activation. End-stage renal disease did not develop in any of the C4NeF positive patients during follow-up period. Positivity to other complement autoantibodies (anti-C1q, anti-C3) was also linked to the presence of nephritic factors. Unsupervised, data-driven cluster analysis identified a group of patients with high prevalence of multiple complement autoantibodies, including C4NeF.
Delivering reduced dose of immunosuppression for elderly patients was associated with satisfactory outcome and favorable treatment-related complication profile. The higher mortality in the elderly could be attributed mainly to baseline cardiovascular morbidity.
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