title: Remission of nephrotic syndrome after thalidomide therapy in a patient with Castleman's disease.
abstract: Castleman's is an uncommon lymphoproliferative disorder secondary to lymphoid follicle hyperplasia and marked capillary proliferation with endothelial hyperplasia. This illness can be associated with glomerulonephritis (GN). Here, we report a case with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome secondary to proliferative mesangial glomerulonephritis in a patient with Castleman's disease, that was diagnosed several years before. Considering the involvement of IL-6 in Castleman's disease we treated the patient with thalidomide obtaining the remission of the nephrotic syndrome. Our experience suggests a possible role of thalidomide in the treatment of glomerular pathology when a role of IL-6 is hypothesized.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Ospedale Sant Antonio, ASS 4 Medio Friuli, Italy. ndsd@ass4.sanita.fvg.it
authors.forename: M Adorati
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Menegato
authors.forename: M Fanni
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Canelles
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tonutti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pizzolitto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D015432:Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013792:Thalidomide