Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis was the most frequent primary glomerular disease, followed by membranous nephropathy and IgA nephropathy. Lupus nephritis predominated over all the other secondary glomerular diseases.

Diabetes mellitus was induced in one group of rats by a single injection of streptozotocin. The glycemia, the body weight, and the blood systolic pressure were measured every week, and the 24 h urine volume and urinary excretions of creatinine, albumin and glycosaminoglycans were measured every 2 weeks. At the end of the experiment (12 weeks) the weight and the glycosaminoglycan composition of the kidneys were determined. All the diabetic animals were hyperglycemic, hypertense, and did not gain weight during all the experimental period. Albuminuria appeared from the second week on. Rat urine was shown to contain heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and dermatan sulfate, and the glycosaminoglycan excretion decreased in all diabetic animals. The onset of the change in glyco-samino-glycan excretion rate was a very early event, appearing in the second week after diabetes induction. The main glycosaminoglycan found in normal rat kidney was heparan sulfate and, in contrast to the urine, the total kidney glycosaminoglycans increased in diabetic kidney, due to chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate accumulation. The heparan sulfate concentration (per tissue dry weight) did not change. Our results suggest that quantification of urinary glycosaminoglycans may be a useful tool for the early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy.

The present paper reports the glomerular and renal individual glycosaminoglycan levels in an experimental model of chronic renal failure (CRF) that was induced in Wistar rats by five-sixths mass ablation. Glycemia, body weight, blood systolic pressure and urinary excretions of creatinine, albumin and glycosaminoglycans were measured for 12 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the weight and the glycosaminoglycan composition of the kidneys were determined. In control rats, heparan sulfate was the main glycosaminoglycan found both in whole kidney and isolated glomeruli, with trace amounts of dermatan sulfate. Isolated glomeruli presented higher heparan sulfate concentrations than whole kidney (expressed as mg/g dry weight). In CRF rats, albuminuria appeared from the 2 week on, and dermatan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate contents of the kidney increased, whereas heparan sulfate levels remained unaltered. Changes in urine glycosaminoglycans (heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate) were not statistically significant. The increase in glomerular dermatan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate observed in this experimental model could be related to the mechanisms involved in the glomerulosclerosis and proteinuria that occur in CRF.

The prevalence of FM observed in SLE patients is 12%. The presence of FM adversely affects the quality of life of patients with SLE.

10%, não encontramos diferenças estatisticamente significativas (P > 0,05). CONCLUSÕES: Pacientes com e sem LES possuem o mesmo risco de apresentar infarto do miocárdio ou mortalidade coronariana em 10 anos, apesar da maior mortalidade cardiovascular nas pacientes com LES. O escore de risco de Framingham não é uma escala que consiga estimar o risco aumentado de DCV em mulheres com LES.]]>