title: IgG subclass/IgM ratio and response to therapy in focal segmental glomerulonecrosis.
abstract: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is relatively steroid resistant and no clinical or histological marker can predict the response to therapy. To investigate the role of serum immunoglobulin subclass/IgM in predicting the response to therapy in FSGS, serum concentrations of total IgG, IgG subclasses, and the ratio of serum IgG subclasses to total IgG (% IgG subclass) were measured in 27 children during the acute nephrotic state. Prednisolone, cyclophosphamide, and Persantine (dipyridamole) were given for 12 weeks. We divided the patients into good responders or poor responders according to clinical response. The clinical and nephrotic status were similar in both groups. Fourteen patients were good responders with higher serum IgGI/IgM than that of non-responders (4.00+/-0.67 vs. 1.61+/-0.20, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in IgG2/IgM between these two groups. These results suggest that higher serum IgGI/IgM ratios may be associated with a better clinical response. These changes may reflect dysregulation of immunoglobulin class switching in patients with FSGS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004176:Dipyridamole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D004176:Dipyridamole; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone