An intro to glomerular diseases Flashcards
What is glomerulonephritis
-Glomerular inflammation
-Generally caused by immunological mediated injury to the glomeruli
-Pathogenic mechanism: deposition of circulating or in situ formation of immune; deposition of antiglomerular basement membrane abs
(These mechanisms activate secondary mechanisms that lead to the glomerular damage &inflammation)
-Pattern of injury and the clinical presentation will depend on the ‘target’ of the immune response
How can we classify glomerulonephritis
- ) PRIMARY eg membranous
2. ) SECONDARY- as part of a generalized disease eg SLE
How may someone with glomerular disease present?
- hypertension
- incidental finding of proteinuria
- incidental finding of microscopic haematuria
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Progressive renal impairment
- Acute kidney injury
What is nephrotic syndrome
A collection of symptoms due to kidney damage
- hyperlipidaemia
- Oedema( children=periorbital; adults=peripheral)
- Hypoalbuminuaemia
- Heavy proteinuria>3.5g per day
- If you have 3+ protein on urine dipstick and someone with oedema, it’s almost always going to be nephrotic syndrome
- A leak of protein through your kidney cos the podocyte pores(these usually hang onto protein) get disrupted and the protein leaks through into the urine freely
- Basically an increase in protein leak associated with oedema
What may be a consequence or renal artery stenosis
renal hypertension
Why would you consider checking complements if a pt presents to you with incidental hypertension
To check for SLE
Why would you consider checking ANCA if a pt presents to you with incidental hypertension
To check for vasculitis
What is IgA nephropathy?
- aka Berger’s disease
- occurs when IgA lodges in your kidney
- Results in local inflammation that, over time, may hamper your kidneys’ ability to filter wastes from your blood
- Could cause and incidental finding of hypertension
What are some causes of secondary hypertension
- endocrine causes
- renal artery stenosis
What are some non-glomerular causes of microscopic haematuria ?
- Bladder tumours
- Renal stones
- Renal tumors
- BPH
- UTI
- Renal injury
What are some of the primary glomerular causes of microscopic haematuria
- IgA nephropathy
- Alports
- Thin basement membrane disease
- Post infectious GN
- Membranoproliferative GN
What are some of the secondary glomerular causes of microscopic haematuria
- Henoch Scorlein Purpura (IgA vasculitis)
- SLE
- HUS
- ANCA
- Sickle nephropathy
Outline the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy
-Glomerular deposition of IgA causing inflammation
Outline the clinical presentation of IgA nephropathy
Variable clinical presentation
- Microscopic haematuria
- Hypertension
- Slowly progressive renal impairment
- Rapidly progressive renal impairment
- Nephrotic range proteinuria
What lab tests may be useful for IgA nephropathy
- Raised serum IgA
- Renal biopsy shows mesangial proliferation with IgA deposition