Impaired delayed hypersensitivity in lipoid nephrosis.

Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was evaluated in 76 patients with renal disease by summation of delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity (DHS) responses to 4 test antigens, purified protein derivative (PPD), candida, mumps and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Patients with lipoid nephrosis (LN) in the nephrotic stage had less mean induration of skin reactivity and a smaller proportion reacting to the former 3 antigens as compared with normal controls or LN patients without the nephrotic syndrome (NS). In contrast, the intensity of skin reactivity and the frequency of negative reactions in LN patients in remission and chronic mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (CGN) were similar to those of the control subjects. Immune response to KLH was also impaired in LN patients with the NS as measured by skin testing. The data indicate an impaired DHS in LN and suggest that the impairment relates to the clinical stage of disease.