1. Glomerulonephritis in autopsy cases with hepatitis C virus infection.
- Author
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Arase Y, Ikeda K, Murashima N, Chayama K, Tsubota A, Koida I, Suzuki Y, Saitoh S, Kobayashi M, Kobayashi M, Kobayashi M, and Kumada H
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alcohol Drinking epidemiology, Antigen-Antibody Complex analysis, Autopsy, Blood Transfusion statistics & numerical data, Capillaries pathology, Comorbidity, Complement System Proteins analysis, Esophageal and Gastric Varices epidemiology, Esophageal and Gastric Varices etiology, Female, Glomerular Mesangium blood supply, Glomerular Mesangium immunology, Glomerular Mesangium pathology, Glomerulonephritis epidemiology, Glomerulonephritis pathology, Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative epidemiology, Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative etiology, Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental epidemiology, Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental etiology, Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental pathology, Hepacivirus isolation & purification, Hepatitis C epidemiology, Hepatitis C virology, Hepatitis C Antibodies analysis, Hepatitis C Antigens analysis, Hepatitis, Chronic complications, Hepatitis, Chronic epidemiology, Humans, Immune Complex Diseases epidemiology, Immune Complex Diseases etiology, Immune Complex Diseases immunology, Japan epidemiology, Liver Cirrhosis epidemiology, Liver Cirrhosis etiology, Male, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Middle Aged, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Prevalence, RNA, Viral analysis, Risk Factors, Splenectomy statistics & numerical data, Glomerulonephritis etiology, Hepatitis C complications
- Abstract
The glomerular changes of 188 consecutive autopsy cases with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were studied. The glomerular changes were classified as follows: Category I: membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN; 21 cases, 11.2%), 2) Category II: membranous nephropathy (MN; 5 cases, 2.7%), 3) Category III: mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MesGN; 33 cases, 17.6%), 4) Category IV: mesangial thickening type without proliferative mesangial cell (MT; 44 cases, 23.4%), and 5) Category V: almost normal glomeruli (85 cases, 45.2%). Glomerulonephritis was defined as glomeruli with an increase in mesangial matrix or a thickening of the capillary walls in the glomeruli; categories I-IV corresponded to glomerulonephritis in this study. Multivariate analysis, using a multiple logistic model, indicated that glomerulonephritis with HCV infection was the most strongly correlated to the existence of esophagogastric varices. Abnormal urinalysis, that is transient or continuous microhematuria or proteinuria, was observed in only 23 (12.2%) cases. These results showed that in HCV-RNA positive patients with esophagogastric varices the possibility of glomerulonephritis should be considered.
- Published
- 1998
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