BackgroundThe primary abnormal manifestation in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is recurring bouts of hematuria with or without proteinuria. Although immunohistochemical analysis of renal biopsy tissue remains the gold standard not only for diagnosis but also for evaluating the activity of IgAN, new sensitive and reasonably specific noninvasive tests are emerging to guide therapeutic strategy applicable to all stages of IgAN. The present study examined serum levels of galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) and its immune complex (IgA/IgG-IC) as noninvasive markers for the disease activity.MethodsWe enrolled 50 IgAN patients (male 40 %, median age 37 years) showing complete or partial clinical remission after steroid pulse therapy with tonsillectomy (TSP) whose clinical data and serum could be followed up for 3–5 years.ResultsCross-sectional analysis revealed that the degree of hematuria and proteinuria were significantly associated with levels of Gd-IgA1 and levels of IgA/IgG-IC. Longitudinal analysis further showed that from the group of 44 patients with heavy hematuria before TSP, 31 patients showed complete disappearance of hematuria (group A), but the remaining patients did not (group B). Although the levels of Gd-IgA1 and IgA/IgG-IC in the two groups before TSP were similar, percentage decrease of Gd-IgA1 and IgA/IgG-IC levels in group A was significantly higher than in group B.ConclusionDisease activity of IgAN assessed by hematuria and proteinuria correlated with serum levels and changes of Gd-IgA1 and IgA/IgG-IC. These new noninvasive disease activity markers can be useful for future activity scoring system and guiding therapeutic approaches.

No abstract

Chronic epipharyngitis is a common latent but serious condition that may contribute to a wide range of diseases in humans, including collagen diseases, glomerulonephritis and autonomic nervous disorders. In a previous study, we presented a putative causal role of chronic epipharyngitis in the development of functional somatic symptoms and syndromes following human papillomavirus vaccination by demonstrating a significant improvement in symptoms following abrasive therapy using ZnCl 2 on the epipharynx. Since this initial study, we have expanded our clinical experience, providing epipharyngeal abrasive therapy to 988 patients with confirmed chronic epipharyngitis associated with a wide variety of clinical symptoms. These symptoms could be classified into three broad categories, namely local inflammation-referred, autoimmune-related, and neuroendocrine symptoms. Symptom alleviation was achieved in the majority of patients with repeated epipharyngeal abrasive therapy.Through an in-depth review of the literature on epipharyngeal abrasive therapy, combined with our clinical experience, we propose three mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of epipharyngeal abrasive therapy: the astringent anti-inflammatory effect of ZnCl 2 , a blood-letting effect that promotes removal of epipharyngeal activated lymphocytes and drainage of excess inflammatory fluids containing various antigens, cytokines or noxious substances, and a neuromodulation effect achieved through stimulation of the vagus nerve. These effects can be explained within the context of current understanding of immunology, lymphology and neuroscience.Our hypothesis-driven review provides a theoretical basis for the observed therapeutic effects of epipharyngeal abrasive therapy in ameliorating various diseases, including functional somatic symptoms and syndromes following human papillomavirus vaccination.

Shorter DN is associated with higher likelihood of clinical remission in IgAN patients treated by TSP therapy.