Clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of PLA2R related idiopathic membranous nephropathy in patients with seronegative PLA2R antibodies

Figures & data

Table 1. Comparison Of baseline characteristics between the two groups.

	All patients (N = 74)	SAb−/GAg+ (N = 14)	SAb+/GAg+ (N = 60)	p value
Male, no.(%)	41 (55.4)	8 (57.1)	33 (55.0)	.88
Age, years	49.9 ± 15.5	60.0 (33.8-67.8)	49.2 ± 15.0	.37
BMI, kg/m^2	25.7 ± 3.8	25.4 ± 4.1	25.8 ± 3.8	.72
Serum creatinine, mmol/L	61.4 (50.8-77.3)	59.4 (48.5-69.6)	65.9 ± 17.4	.58
eGFR, ml/min per 1.73m^2	103.8 (94.8-115.8)	101.3 ± 23.3	103.4 ± 18.5	.71
Proteinuria, g/24h	4.3 (2.1-6.5)	4.6 (1.4-6.4)	4.1 (2.3-6.6)	.51
Albumin, g/L	27.1 (22.4-30.8)	33.8 (29.4-36.2)	25.8 (21.9-29.4)	<.01
TC, mmol/L	7.2 ± 2.2	4.9 (4.2-6.2)	7.7 ± 2.1	<.01
HDL-C, mmol/L	1.3 (1.1-1.6)	1.3 ± 0.3	1.3 (1.1-1.6)	.70
LDL-C, mmol/L	4.7 ± 2.1	3.0 (2.0-4.3)	5.0 ± 2.1	<.01
Triglyceride, mmol/L	1.9 (1.4-3.0)	2.2 ± 1.1	1.9 (1.4-3.4)	.73
Immunosuppressive therapy, no. (%)	45 (60.8)	5 (35.7)	40 (66.7)	.03
Glucocorticoids, no. (%)	1 (1.4)	1 (7.1)	0 (0.0)	.19
Cyclosporin A, no. (%)	1 (1.4)	0 (0.0)	1 (1.7)	1.00
Glucocorticoids and cyclosporin A, no. (%)	26 (35.1)	2 (14.3)	24 (40.0)	.11
Glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide, no. (%)	3 (4.0)	0 (0.0)	3 (5.0)	1.00
Rituximab, no. (%)	12 (16.2)	2 (14.3)	10 (16.7)	1.00
Rituximab and cyclosporin A, no. (%)	2 (2.7)	0 (0.0)	2 (3.3)	1.00
Morphological staging
I, no. (%)	26 (35.1)	6 (42.9)	20 (33.3)	.50
II, no. (%)	40 (54.1)	8 (57.1)	32 (53.3)	.79
III, no. (%)	8 (10.8)	0 (0.0)	8 (13.3)	.14
Glomerulosclerosis, no. (%)	38 (51.4)	8 (57.1)	30 (50.0)	.63
Mesangial proliferation, no. (%)	69 (93.2)	12 (85.7)	57 (95.0)	.23
Tubular atrophy, no. (%)	40 (54.1)	6 (42.9)	34 (56.7)	.35
Interstitial fibrosis, no. (%)	36 (48.6)	5 (35.7)	31 (51.7)	.28
Arterial lesions, no. (%)	45 (60.8)	10 (71.4)	35 (58.3)	.37

Data are presented as numbers and percentages, means and standard deviations, or median and quartile ranges.

SAb: serum phospholipase A2 receptor antibody; GAg: glomerular phospholipase A2 receptor antigen; BMI: Body mass index; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; TC: total cholesterol; HDL-C: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Table 2. Logistic regression analysis evaluating the risk factors on seropositive PLA2R antibody.

	Univariable Analysis		Multivariable Analysis
Factor	OR (95% CI)	p value	OR (95% CI)	p value
Albumin (per 1 g/l)	0.72 (0.60–0.86)	<.01	0.79 (0.66–0.95)	.01
TC (per 1 mmol/l)	2.42 (1.41–4.14)	<.01	1.81 (1.02–3.19)	.04
LDL-C (per 1 mmol/l)	1.92 (1.21–3.05)	<.01	–	–
Immunosuppressive therapy (0 = no, 1 = yes)	3.60 (1.06–12.16)	.03	–	–

PLA2R: phospholipase A2 receptor; TC: total cholesterol; LDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; OR: odds ratio; CI: confidence interval.

Figure 1. Survival curve and log rank test analysis of the two groups. CR: complete remission; PR: partial remission; SAb: serum phospholipase A2 receptor antibody; GAg: glomerular phospholipase A2 receptor antigen.

Data availability statement

The datasets of the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.