A case of membranous nephropathy associated with chronic GVHD successfully treated with rituximab

Secondary Membranous Nephropathy. A Narrative Review

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a common cause of proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome all over the world. It can be subdivided into primary and secondary forms. Primary form is an autoimmune disease clinically characterized by nephrotic syndrome and slow progression. It accounts for ~70% cases of MN. In the remaining cases MN may be secondary to well-defined causes, including infections, drugs, cancer, or autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), urticarial vasculitis, sarcoidosis, thyroiditis, Sjogren syndrome, systemic sclerosis, or ankylosing spondylitis. The clinical presentation is similar in primary and secondary MN. However, the outcome may be different, being often related to that of the original disease in secondary MN. Also, the treatment may be different, being targeted to the etiologic cause in secondary MN. Thus, the differential diagnosis between primary and secondary MN is critical and should be based not only on history and clinical features of the patient but also on immunofluorescence and electron microscopy analysis of renal biopsy as well as on the research of circulating antibodies. The identification of the pathologic events underlying a secondary MN is of paramount importance, since the eradication of the etiologic factors may be followed by remission or definitive cure of MN. In this review we report the main diseases and drugs responsible of secondary MN, the outcome and the pathogenesis of renal disease in different settings and the possible treatments.

Membranous nephropathy in autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant: autologous graft-versus-host disease or autoimmunity induction?

With the increasing utility of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) as a treatment for cancer and noncancerous disorders, more challenges and complications associated with SCT have emerged. Renal injury immediately after transplant is common and well understood, but long-term renal injury is becoming more evident. Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a known long-term complication of SCT, and membranous nephropathy (MN) is emerging as the most common cause of SCT-associated glomerular pathology. In this case report, we present a patient who developed features of anti-PLA2R antibody-negative MN following autologous SCT. The renal injury responded well to steroids and further response to rituximab therapy was noted, suggesting antibody-mediated autoimmune glomerular disease. We also present a review of the literature on autologous GVHD and the role of T and B cells in induction of autoimmunity by SCT.

Recent progress in managing graft-versus-host disease and viral infections following allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Despite recent reductions in transplant-related mortality, post-transplant complications such as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) remain major obstacles to the successful application of allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation. Steroid-refractory GvHD has a poor outcome. Although there are a variety of new approaches to the treatment of refractory GvHD, many have limited evidence of efficacy. Other approaches appear to be unacceptably toxic. It would be preferable to improve GvHD prophylaxis. There is good evidence that rates of GvHD can be reduced without unacceptable reduction of the graft-versus-leukemia effect or compromising overall survival. However, prophylactic measures aimed at reducing T-cell numbers or functions are associated with high rates of reactivation of latent viruses. New technologies that allow rapid generation of virus-specific T-cells show promise to reduce the frequency and severity of such reactivations and have the potential to revolutionize the approach to post-transplant infectious complications.