Churg-Strauss syndrome: a retrospective study of 11 cases from a single center in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), including symptoms, blood chemistry and immunological findings.


METHODS
We retrospectively investigated the records of 11 patients (six female and five male) with CSS admitted to our hospital from September 2003 to October 2009.


RESULTS
Eight patients had preceding symptoms including bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. Seven patients showed eosinophilia. Nine patients had mononeuritis multiplex. Positive findings of myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA) were found in five patients. Neither clinical manifestations nor laboratory findings were correlated with positivity for MPO-ANCA. However, the MPO-ANCA-positive group showed a higher level of blood urea nitrogen and proteinuria than those negative for MPO-ANCA. Ten patients recovered after starting steroid or immunosuppressive therapy, although one patient died of unknown etiology.


CONCLUSIONS
Although general assessments based on various factors such as medical history, clinical manifestation and laboratory studies are indispensable in CSS, MPO-ANCA might be useful as a predictor of renal dysfunction in patients with CSS.
Horai
Yoshiro
Y
Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center, Fukuoka, Japan. yoshirohorai0518@qmed.hosp.go.jp
Miyamura
Tomoya
T
Hirata
Akie
A
Nakamura
Masataka
M
Takahama
Soichiro
S
Ando
Hitoshi
H
Minami
Rumi
R
Yamamoto
Masahiro
M
Suematsu
Eiichi
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000097:blood; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D015267:Churg-Strauss Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013256:Steroids; D009195:Peroxidase