SARCOIDOSIS ASSOCIATED WITH ACUTE-RENAL-FAILURE AND INCREASED LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-6 IN URINE

A 24-year-old man who had uveitis and showed intrathoracic lymph node swelling on a chest X-ray, was admitted to our hospital for further ex amination. Transbronchial lung biopsy specimens revealed non-caseating granulomas compatible to sarcoidosis. As the renal function became pr ogressively worse, a specimen was obtained by renal biopsy, It showed a granuloma formation, and was diagnosed as renal sarcoidosis. A high level of interleukin(IL)-6 was detected in his urine. After oral admin istration of prednisolone, the renal function improved, and the urinar y IL-6 level was reduced. These findings suggest that in sarcoidosis a ssociated with renal failure, steroid therapy is effective and that IL -6 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of renal involvement of sarcoidosis.