The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic yield of screening blood work (ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) for sarcoidosis, Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) for lupus, CMIA (chemiluminescence microparticle enzyme immunoassay) for syphilis) and contrast-enhanced MRI brain and orbits in atypical unilateral chronic optic neuropathy.
Our study indicated an association between the risk of lupus nephropathy and the sequence variations of both the ACE gene and the eNOS gene, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of lupus nephropathy in the northern Chinese population.
In the population studied, there was no influence of the RAS genetic polymorphisms in the development of lupus nephropathy, but the progression to CRF was associated with ACE DD polymorphism.
The distribution of the ACE genotype D/D, D/I, and I/I in the lupus group was 59%, 36%, and 5%, respectively, similar to the distribution in the control group (54%, 31%, and 15%, respectively).