Good pasture’s Syndrome

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Good pasture syndrome (GPS), also known as anti-glomerular basement membrane disease, is a rare autoimmune disease in which antibodies attack the basement membrane in lungs and kidneys, leading to bleeding from the lungs and kidney failure. It is thought to attack the alpha-3 subunit of type IV collagen, which has therefore been referred to as Good pasture’s antigen.

Good pasture syndrome may quickly result in permanent lung and kidney damage, often leading to death. It is treated with medications that suppress the immune system such as corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide, and with plasmapheresis, in which the antibodies are removed from the blood. The disease was first described by an American pathologist Ernest Good pasture of Vanderbilt University in 1919 and was later named in his honour.

Signs and symptoms:

  • The anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies primarily attack the kidneys and lungs, although, generalized symptoms like malaise, weight loss, fatigue, fever, and chills are also common, as are joint aches and pains.
  • 60 to 80% of those with the condition experience both lung and kidney involvement; 20-40% have kidney involvement alone, and less than 10% have lung involvement alone.
  • Lung symptoms usually antedate kidney symptoms and usually include: coughing up blood, chest pain (in less than 50% of cases overall), cough, and shortness of breath.
  • Kidney symptoms usually include blood in the urine, protein in the urine, unexplained swelling of limbs or face, high amounts of urea in the blood, and high blood pressure.

Cause:

  1. Its precise cause is unknown, but an insult to the blood vessels taking blood from and to the lungs is believed to be required to allow the anti-GBM antibodies to come into contact with the alveoli.
  2. Examples of such an insult include: exposure to organic solvents (e.g. chloroform) or hydrocarbons, exposure to tobacco smoke, certain alleles (HLA-DR15), infection (such as influenza A), cocaine inhalation, metal dust inhalation, bacteraemia, sepsis, high-oxygen environments, and treatment with anti-lymphocytic treatment (especially monoclonal antibodies).

Pathophysiology:

GPS is caused by abnormal plasma cell production of anti-GBM antibodies. The anti-GBM antibodies attack the alveoli and glomeruli basement membranes. These antibodies bind their reactive epitopes to the basement membranes and activate the complement cascade, leading to the death of tagged cells. T cells are also implicated, though it is generally considered a type II hypersensitivity reaction.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of GPS is often difficult, as numerous other diseases can cause the various manifestations of the condition and the condition itself is rare. The most accurate means of achieving the diagnosis is testing the affected tissues by means of a biopsy.

Treatment:

The major mainstay of treatment for GPS is plasmapheresis, a procedure in which the affected person's blood is sent through a centrifuge and the various components separated based on weight.

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