[Kidney involvement in autoimmune diseases]

Abstract

New aspects of pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of renal involvement in classic generalized immune diseases are reported. In Good-pasture's syndrome survival is now possible with high-dose corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide pulse therapy and plasmapheresis. Renal transplantation can be performed with no recurrence of disease once the production of autoantibodies against basal membranes has stopped. Patients with Wegener's disease die if adequate treatment is not provided. Long-term cyclophosphamide therapy can induce complete remission. A solid-phase radioimmunoassay for detection of circulating autoantibodies to neutrophilic cytoplasmic antigens is helpful in the diagnosis and monitoring of therapy. In systemic lupus erythematosus, renal biopsy is only mandatory to solve the question as to whether high-dose steroid treatment should be prescribed: only in the case of diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis will corticosteroids be beneficial. Intermittent pulse therapy with cyclophosphamide seems to slow down the progression of renal failure, whereas a positive effect of plasmapheresis has not been proven. Cyclosporin A reduces the dosage of corticosteroids needed.