Autoantibodies to leucocyte antigens in hydralazine-associated nephritis

• Published in: Journal of internal medicine Vol. 231; no. 1; p. 37
• Main Authors: Almroth, G, Eneström, S, Hed, J, Samuelsson, I, Sjöström, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.01.1992
• Subjects: Antibodies, Antinuclear - analysis; Female; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental - chemically induced; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental - immunology; HLA Antigens - immunology; Humans; Hydralazine - adverse effects; Male; Middle Aged; Nephritis, Interstitial - chemically induced; Nephritis, Interstitial - immunology; Neutrophils - immunology; Peroxidase - immunology
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1992.tb00496.x
• ISSN: 0954-6820

Clinical and laboratory findings and drug history were studied in 17 patients with suspected hydralazine-associated nephritis, five of whom only had renal disease, while twelve also had extrarenal manifestations. Renal biopsies revealed extracapillary proliferative or focal segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis in 10 patients, and tubulo-interstitial nephritis in five patients. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was found in 16 patients, but none of the 14 patients tested had antibodies to DNA. Tests for antibodies to myeloperoxidase (anti-MPO) and antibodies to neutrophil cytoplasm antigen (ANCA) were performed by ELISA. Twelve of the 14 patients tested had anti-MPO; five of these 14 patients had ANCA, while one had borderline levels. These findings suggest that hydralazine facilitates the induction of a systemic disease with multiple autoantibody production.