Renal involvement in patients with polymyositis (PM)/dermatomyositis (DM) is previously thought to be uncommon, but two main types of renal lesion have been described. First, acute tubular necrosis with renal failure related to myoglobulinemia and myoglobulinuria is a well-recognised feature of acute rhabdomyolysis. Second, chronic glomerulonephritis has been infrequently reported in a small group of patients with PM/DM. This study aims at investigating the incidence, severity and prognosis of renal disease in PM/DM patients, admitted to a single centre in a 10-year interval. The hospital records of 65 Taiwanese patients with PM/DM, examined between 1992 and 2002, were studied retrospectively. Of the 65 patients, 14 were found to have suffered varying degree of renal involvement, and the incidence rate was 21.5%. All the 14 patients had varying degree of haematuria and proteinuria. Acute tubular necrosis with renal failure developed in four patients with PM and in five patients with DM. Renal biopsy in two DM patients with overt proteinuria revealed IgA nephropathy in one and membranous nephropathy in the other. We, therefore, concluded that renal involvement in PM/DM patients is not as uncommon as previously thought.

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Cyclosporine based regimen and 28 patients received Tacrolimus based regimen) since 1993. To minimize the risk of humoral rejection, we performed a splenectomy 2 weeks before transplantation, eliminated anti-A and/or anti-B antibodies by double-fi ltration plasmapheresis (DFPP), and administered a potent immunosuppressive regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide, anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody, calcineurin inhibitor and prednisolone. The calcineurin inhibitor dose was adjusted by monitoring AUC0-4 target values. We have performed BK virus follow-up in all patients since 2005. BK virus DNA detection in blood samples was performed using the quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The primers used for this assay are specifi c for BK virus and have been designed to accommodate mutated strains. The range of detection is 1x1000 copies/ƒÊL. We investigated the incidence of BK virus infection between ABOi LDRT and ABO-compatible renal transplantation group (n=120). Results: The incidence of BK virus infection after transplantation was 1.1% (1/88) in the ABOi LDRT group as compared with 5.0% (6/120) in the ABO-compatible renal group (p=0.127). The incidence of acute rejection during the fi rst 3 months after transplantation was 18.2% @(8 cellular, 1 combined type and 7 antibodymediated rejection) in ABOi LDRT group, as compared with 20.8% (25/120) in the ABO-compatible group (p=0.634). Graft survival rates were similar in both groups (95.6% vs 96.3%) at 1 year (p=0.296). There are 4 patients with BKVN in ABO-compatible renal group, but no patient in ABOi LRT group. Conclusion: Although total immunosuppression might be generally potent in ABOi LDRT, Our center protocol of ABO-incompatible renal transplantation is not a risk factor for BK virus infection or BKVAN.