title: Serum immune complexes and disease activity in lupus nephritis.
abstract: Raised levels of circulating soluble immune complexes were found in sera of 21 of 29 patients with lupus nephritis. They correlated well with clinical disease activity in the group as a whole and with the course of individual patients. In 2 patients, high-dose methylprednisolone reduced levels of immune complexes and led to clinical improvement. The size of the IgG complexes was studied in 7 patients. The complexes were very large (2-5-4X10(6) M.W.) in 6, but only the 4 with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis had medium-sized IgG complexes (1-1-5X10(6) M.W.) as well.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D002648:Child; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007105:Immune Complex Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D008775:Methylprednisolone