Hypocomplementemia is related to elevated serum levels of IgG subclasses other than IgG4 in IgG4-related kidney disease
Yuhei Fujisawa, Ichiro Mizushima, Kazunori Yamada, Motohisa Yamamoto, Takako Saeki, Shoko Matsui, Syunsuke Tsuge, Satoshi Hara, Kiyoaki Ito, Hiroshi Fujii, Hiroki Takahashi, Hideki Nomura, Shigeyuki Kawa, Mitsuhiro Kawano
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the clinical features of IgG4-RKD patients with hypocomplementemia compared with those without it, so as to clarify the factors related to hypocomplementemia. METHODS: In this single-center retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical features of 25 patients with IgG4-RKD according to the presence/absence of hypocomplementemia. Additionally, we validated the results of a single-center study in a separate large multicenter cohort of 328 patients with IgG4-RD, and searched for factors related to hypocomplementemia. RESULTS: = .018) were significantly higher in the hypocomplementemia group. At relapse of renal lesions in four patients, all had serum IgG4 re-elevation, with the three with hypocomplementemia presenting worsening of hypocomplementemia and re-elevation of non-IgG4 IgG levels. In a validation cohort of 328 patients with IgG4-RD, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated elevation of non-IgG4 IgG levels to be an independent factor related to hypocomplementemia in the patients with IgG4-RKD. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that hypocomplementemia is associated with elevation of IgG subclasses other than IgG4 including IgG1 in IgG4-RKD.