ABSTRACT Introduction: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCAs) are crucial in the pathogenesis of ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis. Although highly specific for this disease, these antibodies can appear in healthy individuals or occur in other settings such as malignance, other inflammatory disease, or drugs. Renal biopsy remains essential for diagnosis and as a prognostic tool. Failing to perform a biopsy risks an incomplete evaluation or misdiagnosis. Clinical case: A 60-year-old male known to have had previous normal kidney function was admitted with generalized pitting edema, nonpruritic erythematous rash, and decreased urine output. He had been recently started on clozapine for depression. Laboratory tests revealed nephrotic syndrome with massive proteinuria (11g/day), hematuria and elevated serum creatinine that reached a maximum of 4.9 mg/dl. The only positive finding was a high titer of myeloperoxidase (MPO) ANCA antibody (111 UI/ml). Clozapine was discontinued, and he was started on conservative management of the nephrotic syndrome. The rash disappeared within one week. Kidney biopsy showed cellular variant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) with mild acute tubular injury. The patient was treated with oral prednisolone with complete remission. Repeat MPO-ANCA was negative after one month. Discussion: We present a challenging case that highlights the importance of kidney biopsy for accurate diagnosis with major impact on treatment and prognosis. This case also underlines the presentation and evolution of FSGS cellular variant, a rare and poorly understood disease. The relationship between skin rash with high MPO titer and the administration of clozapine with clinical remission after its discontinuation favors the hypothesis of drug associated ANCA-vasculitis.

ABSTRACT Systemic lupus erythematosus and ANCA-associated vasculitis overlap syndrome is rare and complex. Moreover, the mechanisms that explain the interaction between these two conditions are still unclear. The authors describe the case of a patient who had myeloperoxidase ANCA-associated vasculitis as the initial diagnosis, with biopsy-proven pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis, attaining complete remission after immunosuppression. Five years later, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus was diagnosed and a second kidney biopsy showed a pattern of lupus nephritis class III. While on immunosuppression treatment, the patient developed a progressive elevation of liver enzymes and was later diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis. It seems that in this case, the overlap of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and ANCA-associated vasculitis may be part of a poliautoimmune syndrome suggested by association with a third autoimmune disease.

Apresentamos o caso de uma mulher de 24 anos com queixas de dor abdominal, diarreia sanguinolenta e perda ponderal com 3 meses de evolução. Uma colonoscopia de ambulatório revelou, de forma descontínua, úlceras sugestivas de doença de Crohn (DC). Também a histologia era sugestiva de DC. Contudo, após admissão no nosso hospital, uma radiografia de tórax evidenciou cavitações pulmonares. A tomografia computorizada sugeriu o diagnóstico de tuberculose (TB) pulmonar ativa. Por esse motivo, foram realizadas broncofibroscopia, endoscopia digestiva alta e colonoscopia total com ileoscopia. A pesquisa de bacilos ácido-álcool resistentes foi positiva não só no lavado broncoalveolar e no suco gástrico, mas também nas biópsias do cólon. Verificou-se uma resolução completa das queixas gastrointestinais 2 semanas após iniciar antibacilares.

We present the case of a 24-year-old woman with complaints of abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and weight loss for 3 months. An outpatient colonoscopy revealed scattered ulcers, suggestive of Crohn’s disease (CD). Histopathology also favored the diagnosis of CD. However, after admission to our hospital for further investigation, a chest radiograph revealed pulmonary cavitations. A computed tomography scan suggested the diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Therefore, a bronchofibroscopy, a total colonoscopy with ileoscopy, and an upper endoscopy were performed. Not only were acid-fast bacilli present in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and gastric juice, but also in colonic biopsies. A complete resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms was achieved 2 weeks after starting anti-TB drugs.

The authors present two cases of tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome (TINU). TINU is a well-known yet rarely reported oculorenal inflammatory clinical entity. A high level of suspicion is needed to identify this entity. The first case is that of a 24-year-old female presenting with bilateral red eye and ocular pain. Laboratory investigation revealed renal insufficiency (serum creatinine 4.9mg/dL) and kidney biopsy presented tubulointerstitial nephritis. The second case is that of a 69-year-old female initially diagnosed with uveitis who later presented with general symptoms and renal insufficiency (serum creatinine 3.96 mg/dL) and whose kidney biopsy showed a tubulointerstitial nephritis pattern. Both patients were treated with steroids and renal function improved. It may be worth screening for uveitis in all patients with tubulointerstitial nephritis and evaluating renal function in those presenting with apparent idiopathic uveitis.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease which can occur as a primary disease or in association with other autoimmune diseases, the most frequent being Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Although renal manifestations of SLE are well known, antiphospholipid syndrome renal manifestations such as antiphospholipid syndrome nephropathy and glomerulopathies have yet to be better characterized. The authors present the case of a 39-year-old Caucasian woman with antiphospholipid syndrome diagnosis and a previous history of deep venous thrombosis and intermittent polyarthralgia, who was referred to a nephrology consultation for proteinuria and microscopic haematuria with preserved renal function. The renal biopsy showed a pattern of membranous glomerulopathy and thrombotic microangiopathy in association with antiphospholipid syndrome nephropathy. This case report illustrates a complex clinical and anatomopathological case of a 39- year-old woman with a previous antiphospholipid syndrome diagnosis who presented with unspecific manifestations such as proteinuria and microscopic haematuria and preserved renal function. The histological findings alert us to the range of possible renal manifestations of APS and the need to better characterize these patients by preforming renal biopsy.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease which can involve almost any organ, making its difficult therapeutic approach. Immune complex deposition can often activate complement, accounting for many of SLE clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. We present a case of a patient who presented with acute pancreatitis and acute kidney injury as onset manifestations of SLE, later developing neurological manifestations, who was successfully treated with rituximab, plasma exchange and steroids as induction therapy. Persistently low C3 level led to a genetic analysis of the complement system components. We found three polymorphisms in the alternative pathway of complement regulators (complement factor H c2669 G>T, p.Ser890Ile and c3019 G>T, p.Val1007Leu and complement factor I c.482+6 G>T), two of which have been correlated with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome and dense deposit disease and also complement factor H-related protein (CFHR1 and CFHR3) mutations by deletion. This raises the question whether these polymorphisms and mutations played any role in our patient’s clinical course

IgA nephropathy has many clinical presentations, of which nephrotic syndrome is possibly the rarest. Recently, the association of IgA nephropathy with minimal change disease was better described with patients having complete response to steroid therapy and no progression to CKD. We report a similar case in a young male presenting with nephrotic syndrome

Procura-se discutir, à luz das contribuições da psicanálise, como algumas formas de escrita no corpo, tão frequentes na contemporaneidade - tatuagens, cortes, escarificações -, poderiam produzir maneiras possíveis e singulares de enlaçamento do sujeito ao Outro. A escrita deixa pistas, vestígios do percurso da pulsão, rastos do pensamento e possibilita alguma ligação com o mundo compartilhado, dando margem a pensar numa contenção do gozo através destes tipos específicos que compõem um repertório de traços. Em muitos casos, esses atos de escrita suprem a função paterna permitindo que aqueles em que a voz do Outro não escreveu uma identificação unária na carne tenham acesso ao corpo próprio.

Writing the body: jouissance and social bond. The objective of this paper, based on Psychoanalysis contributions, is to discuss the contemporary body writing, such as cuts, scarifications and tattoos, to discuss how they can help to make possible and singular the social bonds between subjects and the Other. Writing leaves tracks, vestiges of the drive paths, remnants of thinking and enables some connection to the common world, giving way to restraining jouissance by means of a repertoire of traces. In many cases, these acts of writing supply the paternal function allowing those who did not undergo the unary inscription of the voice of the Other in their own flesh, so they can have access to their own body.