Rituximab therapy for IgA-vasculitis with nephritis: a case series and review of the literature.

Henoch-Schonlein purpura, also called IgA-vasculitis, is a systemic small vessels vasculitis with immunoglobulin A1-dominant immune deposits. The optimal treatment remains controversial. Because IgA-vasculitis is characterized by leukocyte infiltration of the blood vessel walls along with immunoglobulin A deposition, and because glucocorticosteroids inhibit inflammatory processes, early administration of glucocorticosteroids has been postulated to be effective, but this indication remains controversial.

A case of recurrent proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal IgG deposits after kidney transplant treated with plasmapheresis.

Proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal IgG deposits (PGNMID) is a rare and recently identified disease with a poor prognosis irrespective of the treatment. Recently, the possibility of recurrent or de novo PGNMID after kidney transplantation has been reported, which is associated with a better prognosis compared to PGNMID on native kidneys. Nevertheless, at present, due to the very few cases of recurrent PGNMID diagnosed, there is no proven effective treatment.

Distribution of alpha-chains of type IV collagen in glomerular basement membranes with ultrastructural alterations suggestive of Alport syndrome.

Background: In Alport syndrome (AS) impaired production and/or assembly of col IV alpha-chain isoforms results in abnormal structure of glomerular basement membrane (GBM), haematuria and, frequently, progressive renal disease. We investigated the relationship between col IV alpha-chains expression and morphology of GBM, as a possible key to the better understanding of the pathogenesis of renal disease in AS.

Methods: GBM distribution of col IV alpha1-, alpha3-, and alpha5-chain was investigated by immunohistochemistry in 32 patients (21 males and 11 females, mean age at biopsy of 11.