Cluster Analysis Identifies Distinct Pathogenetic Patterns in C3 Glomerulopathies/Immune Complex-Mediated Membranoproliferative GN.

ABSTRACT: Membranoproliferative GN (MPGN) was recently reclassified as alternative pathway complement-mediated C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative GN (IC-MPGN). However, genetic and acquired alternative pathway abnormalities are also observed in IC-MPGN. Here, we explored the presence of distinct disease entities characterized by specific pathophysiologic mechanisms. We performed unsupervised hierarchical clustering, a data-driven statistical approach, on histologic, genetic, and clinical data and data regarding serum/plasma complement parameters from 173 patients with C3G/IC-MPGN. This approach divided patients into four clusters, indicating the existence of four different pathogenetic patterns. Specifically, this analysis separated patients with fluid-phase co

SUBMITTER: Iatropoulos P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5748907 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature