FA - Renal Pathology Flashcards
What are causes of RBC casts?
Glomerulonephritis, ischemia, or malignant HTN
What are causes of WBC casts?
Tubulointerstitial inflammation, acute pyelonephritis, transplant rejection
What are causes of fatty/oval body casts?
Nephrotic syndrome
What are causes of granular/muddy brown casts?
ATN
What are causes of waxy casts?
Advanced renal disease/chronic renal failure
What are causes of hyaline casts?
Non-specific and can be a normal finding
What defines a focal glomerular disorder and what is an example?
<50% of glomeruli involved, e.g. FSGS
What defines a diffuse glomerular disorder and what is an example?
> 50% of glomeruli involved, e.g. DPGN
What defines a proliferative glomerular disorder and what is an example?
Hypercellular glomeruli, e.g. mesangial proliferative
What defines a membranous glomerular disorder and what is an example?
Thickening of GBM, e.g. membranous nephropathy
What defines a primary glomerular disease and what is an example?
Involves only the glomerulus, e.g. minimal change dz
What defines a secondary glomerular disease and what is an example?
Involves glomeruli and other organs, thus a dz of another organ system or a systemic dz with renal manifestation, e.g. SLE, diabetic nephropathy
What are some pure nephritic syndromes?
Acute PSGN, RPGN, Berger’s IgA GN, Alport syndrome
What are some pure nephrotic syndromes?
Minimal change dz, FSGS, membranous nephropathy, amyloidosis, diabetic glomerulonephropathy
What are some mixed nephritic/nephrotic syndromes?
DPGN, MPGN
What are general features of nephrotic syndrome?
Proteinuria (frothy urine), hyperlipidemia, fatty casts, edema.
May also see thromboembolism (loss of AT III) and increased risk of infection (loss of Igs)
What are the findings in FSGS?
LM - segmental sclerosis and hyalinosis
EM - effacement of podocyte foot processes
What are common associations in FSGS?
Most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults (esp. AA, Hisp. populations)
Assoc. with HIV infection, heroin abuse, massive obesity, interferon treatment, CKD due to congenital absence or surgical removal
What are the findings in membranous nephropathy?
LM - diffuse capillary and GBM thickening
EM - “spike and dome” appearance with SUBEPITHELIAL deposits
IF - granular
What are common associations in membranous nephropathy?
Most common SLE presentation
Second most common cause of primary nephrotic syndrome in adults (esp. Caucasians)
Can be idiopathic or caused by drugs, infections, SLE, solid tumors
What are the findings in minimal change disease?
LM - normal glomeruli
EM - diffuse effacement of podocyte foot processes
Selective loss of albumins due to GBM polyanion loss
What are the common associations in minimal change disease?
Most common in children. May be triggered by a recent infection or an immune stimulus. Responds to corticosteroid Rx
What are the findings in amyloidosis?
Congo red stain shows apple-green birefringence under polarized light
What are the associations in amyloidosis?
Chronic conditions such as multiple myeloma, TB, RA
What are the findings in Type I MPGN?
EM - subendothelial “tram track” deposits (GBM splitting due to mesangial ingrowth)
IF - granular staining
What are the findings in Type II MPGN?
EM - intramembranous IC deposits (dense deposits)
What are the associations in Type I MPGN?
Associated with HBV, HCV
What are the associations in Type II MPGN?
Associated with C3 nephritic factor
What are the findings in diabetic glomerulonephropathy?
LM - nonenzymatic glycosylation of GBM –>inc. permeability and thickening, mesangial expansion, K-W lesions
What are the associations in diabetic glomerulonephropathy?
NEG of efferent arterioles –>increased GFR and mesangial expansion
What are general features of nephritic syndrome?
Inflammatory process which leads to hematuria and RBC casts in urine. Associated with azotemia, oliguria, hypertension (secondary to salt retention), proteinuria (<3.5g/day)
What are the findings in acute PSGN?
LM - glomeruli enlarged and hypercellular, neutrophils, “lumpy-bumpy” appearance
EM - subepithelial immune complex humps
What are the associations in PSGN?
Most frequently seen in children
Peripheral and periorbital edema, dark urine, hypertension
Resolves spontaneously
What are the findings in RPGN?
LM and IF - crescent moon shaped
Crescents consist of fibrin and plasma proteins (e.g. C3b) with glomerular parietal cells, monocytes, and macrophages