Reactive proteins and anti bodies in adult Nigerians with the nephrotic syndrome

Background: Adult nephrotic syndrome is associated with a higher prevalence of identifiable risk factors which though may be remediable buthave deleterious consequences on renal function.Objective: To determine frequency of serum reactants, antibodies and autoantibodies among adult nephrotics at the UNTH, Enugu.Design: Case control study.Outcome measure: Serum titres of reactive proteins and antibodies in cases compared to control.Methodology: Serum Samples were obtained from 51 nephrotic (35males and 16 females) along with 48 controls (30males and 18females) sexage matched, by standard laboratory techniques. These samples were screened using commercially available kits and standard laboratorymethods for the presence of HBsAg, ASO antibody, Rheumatoid factors, VDRL and LE cells. Their ESR were also determined by theWestergreen method.Results: HBsAg were found in 3subjects ASO antibodies were less than 200 todd units for both subjects and controls Rheumatoid factor, LEcells were negative in both subjects and controls. The mean ESR of the male (80.4± 1.2) and female (117.7±2.1) nephrotic subjects weresignificantly higher than that of the male (13.2±0.2) and female (22.0±0.1) control (