Die Autoimmundiagnostik spielt in der Nephrologie und Rheumatologie eine zentrale Rolle
bei der Erkennung verschiedener Erkrankungen, die unbehandelt oder spät erkannt mit hoher
Morbidität und Letalität verbunden sind. Bei diesen Autoimmunerkrankungen sind eine frühzeitige
Diagnostik und Behandlung von zentraler Bedeutung für den gesamten weiteren Krankheitsverlauf.
Eine rationale Antikörperdiagnostik ist fester Bestandteil der Diagnostik und
Verlaufsbeurteilung.
Abstract
Autoimmune diagnostics plays a central role in the detection of various acute and/or
chronic diseases in both nephrology and rheumatology, which are associated with high morbidity
and mortality if left untreated or not detected in time. Patients are threatened with
significant limitations in everyday skills and quality of life due to loss of kidney function
and dialysis, immobilizing and destructive joint processes or also significant damage of organ
systems. In all of these autoimmune diseases, early diagnosis and treatment is of central
importance for the further course and prognosis of disease.
Antibodies play an essential role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Antibodies
are either directed against organ or tissue-specific antigens, such as in primary membranous
glomerulonephritis or Goodpasture's syndrome, or they lead to a systemic disease such as
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or rheumatoid arthritis.
Knowledge of the sensitivity and specificity of antibodies is crucial for the interpretation of
antibody diagnostics results. Antibody detection can precede the clinical onset of the
disease, and antibody titers often reflect disease activity. However, there are also false
positive results. Detection of antibodies in the absence of disease symptoms often leads to
uncertainty and unnecessary further diagnostics. Therefore, an unfounded “antibody screening”
is not recommended.
A rational antibody diagnostics is an integral part of the diagnostics and during
treatment of nephrological and rheumatological diseases like glomerulonephrititis, pulmorenal
syndrome, SLE and other collagenosis, thrombotic microangiopathy (HUS/TTP) and rheumatoid
arthritis.
Schlüsselwörter
Autoimmunerkrankungen - Autoantikörper - rheumatische Erkrankungen - autoimmune Nierenerkrankungen - Glomerulonephritis - Vaskulitis - Kollagenose
Keywords
autoimmun disease - autoantibodies - rheumatoid disease - autoimmune renal disease - glomerulonephritis - vasculitis - collagenosis
