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Abstract: PUB200

Diagnostic Value of IgG-Antigalactose-Deficient IgA in IgAN or IgA Vasculitis

Session Information

Category: Glomerular Diseases

  • 1401 Glomerular Diseases: Mechanisms, including Podocyte Biology

Authors

  • Nachman, Patrick H., University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
  • Allam, Krishna C, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
  • Rabi, Salma, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
  • Theis-Mahon, Nicole, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
  • Lardinois, Olivier, unaffiliated, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Background

Elevated levels of galactose-deficient IgA1 (GdIgA1) and the formation of IgG antibodies against GdIgA1 (IgG-antiGdIgA1) are key elements in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). However the diagnostic utility of circulating IgG-antiGdIgA1 remains uncertain. We conducted a systematic review of the diagnostic performance of IgG-antiGdIgA1 in patients with IgAN or IgA vasculitis (IgAV) compared to healthy (HC) or disease (DC) controls.

Methods

This PRISMA-compliant systematic review searched MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL (to 1/2025), combining terms for IgAN, IgAV, Gd-IgA1, autoantibodies, and diagnosis. Studies were included if they evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of IgG-antiGdIgA1 in IgAN/V vs HC or DC, reported relevant statistical analyses, and had a sample size ≥ 20. Data on study design, population, test assays, and diagnostic performance were systematically extracted.

Results

The database searches identified 9585 publications, of which 3908 were duplicates. Of the remaining 5677 articles, 79 were retained for full-text review, of which 71 were excluded due to wrong study design, no anti-GdIgA1 measurements, small sample size, or no diagnostic statistics. The remaining 8 publications included 519 patients with IgAN/V, 216 HC, and 126 DC. Six studies reported clinical data, but only one adjusted for confounders. Author network analysis identified only 2 independent groups. The table summarizes the findings of the 5 studies that reported diagnostic performance of IgG-antiGdIgA.

Conclusion

The diagnostic value of IgG-antiGdIgA1 is based on few studies by inter-related investigators, and varied results. The use of myeloma-derived GdIgA1 as the antigen further limits the tests' reproducibility for diagnosis. Additional independent studies in separate cohorts are necessary to establish the diagnostic value of IgG-antiGdIgA1.

StudyIgAN/HC/DC (N)AntigenAUCSensitivity (%)Specificity (%)PPV (%)NPV (%)Cutoff
Placzek 2018135*/106*/-myeloma GdIgA1 Fab**-8799--1.53 U
(2 SD > HC mean)
Suzuki 200960/40/20myeloma GdIgA10.968895---
Yanagawa 2014135*/106*/79
vs HC
myeloma GdIgA1 Fab**0.96899292891.48 U
(90th% HC)
vs CKD0.9789969690
vs immune-mediated CKD0.8185677282
Berthoux 201297/60(HC+DC)myeloma GdIgA1 Fab**0.63----1.33 OD
(Normalized)
Berthoux 2017R+ (n=34) vs. R– (n=62)myeloma GdIgA1 Fab**0.62686348761.53 OD
(Normalized)

AUC = area under curve; R= post-transplant recurrence; OD= Optical Density; Fab = Fab fragment; *same patients. **same myeloma protein

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)