The renal involvement in scleroderma. A clinical and morphologic study.
The main clinical, biologic, immunologic and morphologic changes characteristic of the sclerodermic nephropathy have been investigated during a mean period of 3.8 years in 21 patients with scleroderma, 19 women and 2 men, with a mean age of 36.1 years. The results obtained have revealed the frequent (38.1%) and early renal involvement, with constant arteriolar and glomerular lesions. Proteinuria was the most frequent (28.6%) and early sign of renal damage. The urinary sediment was poor and the immunologic investigations unconclusive. Dosage of urinary proteins by sensitive techniques (immunoquantitation) and renal biopsy have proved to increase the accuracy of studies for the detection of sclerodermic nephropathy in its initial stage.
Adolescent↗