Specks, Ulrich

Abstract Background Prior work has shown that urinary soluble CD163 (usCD163) displays excellent biomarker characteristics for detection of active renal vasculitis using samples that included new diagnoses with highly active renal disease. This study focused on the use of usCD163 in the detection of the more clinically relevant state of mild renal flare and compared results of usCD163 testing directly to testing of urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (uMCP-1). Methods Patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV, n = 88) were identified within a serially sampled, longitudinal and multicentre cohort. Creatinine-normalized usCD163 and uMCP-1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and, both alone and in combination, were compared between times of active renal AAV and during remission and/or active non-renal AAV. Results Samples from 320 study visits included times of active renal vasculitis (n = 39), remission (n = 233) and active extrarenal vasculitis (n = 48). Median creatinine levels were 0.9 mg/dL [interquartile range (IQR) 0.8–1.2] in remission and 1.4 mg/dL (IQR 1.0–1.8) during renal flare. usCD163 levels were higher in patients with active renal vasculitis compared with patients in remission and those with active extrarenal vasculitis, with median values of 162 ng/mmol (IQR 79–337), 44 (17–104) and 38 (7–76), respectively (P < 0.001). uMCP-1 levels were also higher in patients with active renal vasculitis compared with patients in remission and those with active extrarenal vasculitis, with median values of 10.6 pg/mmol (IQR 4.6–23.5), 4.1 (2.5–8.4) and 4.1 (1.9–6.8), respectively (P < 0.001). The proposed diagnostic cut-points for usCD163 and uMCP-1 were 72.9 ng/mmol and 10.0 pg/mmol, respectively. usCD163 and uMCP-1 levels were marginally correlated (r2 = 0.11, P < 0.001). Combining novel and existing biomarkers using recursive tree partitioning indicated that elevated usCD163 plus either elevated uMCP-1 or new/worse proteinuria improved the positive likelihood ratio (PLR) of active renal vasculitis to 19.2. Conclusion A combination of usCD163 and uMCP-1 measurements appears to be useful in identifying the diagnosis of subtle renal vasculitis flare.

Background Cocaine-induced lesions may cause extensive destruction of the osteocartilaginous structures of the nose, sinuses, and palate that mimics the clinical picture of other diseases. Methods From January 1991 to September 2001 25 patients with cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions were observed at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the University of Brescia. The diagnosis was based on physical and endoscopic evaluation, routine blood and urine analysis, radiological findings, and repeated biopsies of the nasal mucosa. Serum was analyzed by the antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) test using indirect immunofluorescence and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies against proteinase 3 and myeloperoxidase. Results Septal perforation was present in all 25 patients, 16 of which (68%) also had partial destruction of the inferior turbinate. Hard palate reabsorption was observed in only six patients (24%); in two of these patients, the lesion also extended to the soft palate. Fourteen patients (56%) were positive by the immunofluorescence test (nine patients had a P-ANCA and five patients a C-ANCA pattern). Four patients (16%) with the P-ANCA pattern and all patients with the C-ANCA pattern also tested positive for anti–proteinase 3 antibodies. Conclusion Any sinonasal inflammation involving the midline that persists or remains refractory to treatment may be the first manifestation of potentially lethal drug addiction. Cocaine abuse should be considered in the differential diagnosis of destructive lesions of the nasal cavity even in the presence of a positive ANCA test.