Glomerular Diseases Flashcards
Description and Diagnosis
- Mesangial cell ingrowth (the arrow) with splitting of the GBM due to subendothelial immune complexes
- Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (MPGN)
Minimal change disease (Lipoid nephrosis)
(Causes)
- Most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children 2-6 years of age
- It could be primary (idiopathic) that can be triggered by recent infection, immunization, or immune stimulus
- It could be secondary to lymphoma (cytokine-mediated damage) or NSAIDs
Goodpasture syndrome
(Causes)
- Production of anti-bodies against the noncollagenous component of type IV collagen (alpha-3 subunit) of the basement membrane which results in damage of lungs and kidneys \
- It is type II hypersensitivity reaction
Description and Diagnosis
- Alternating thinning and thickening of the basement membrane with splitting of the lamina densa giving it “Basket-weave” appearance
- Alport syndrome
Description and Diagnosis
- Electron dense immune deposits within the thickened basement membrane giving the “spike and dome” appearance (the spikes are the intervening basement membrane matrix between the deposits)
- Membranous glomerulonephritis
IgA nephropathy (Berger disease)
(Causes)
- Production of IgA anti-bodies that target the mesangium
- After respiratory or GI infections
- Celiac sprue
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura
Acute proliferative glomerulonephritis (acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis)
(Causes)
It is a type III hypersensitivity reaction due to:
- Beta-hemolytic group A streptococci (after 2-4 weeks of throat or skin infection) is the most common cause, but it can occur after any infection
- SLE
- Polyarteritis nodosa
Description and Diagnosis
- Hypercellular and capillary loops are poorly defined due to increased number of epithelial, endothelial, and mesangial cells as well as neutrophils in and around glomerular capillary loops
- Acute proliferative glomerulonephritis (acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis)
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (MPGN)
(Work up)
- Decreased serum C3 in all types
- Presence of C3 nephritic factor in type II
Goodpasture syndrome
(Presentation)
- Usually males 20-40 years of age
- Pulmonary involvement precedes renal one and presents as pulmonary hemorrhage and recurrent hemoptysis
- Renal involvement will present as gross hematuria
Alport syndrome
(Presentation)
- Gross or microscopic hematuria that begins in childhood
- Sensorineural deafness
- Eye problems like retinopathy and lens dislocation (Lenti Conus)
- “Can’t see, can’t pee, can’t hear a bee”
Description and Diagnosis
- Silver stain that demonstrates double contour of the basement membrane “tram-track” due to GBS splitting caused by mesangial ingrowth due to subendothelial immune complexes
- Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (MPGN)
Diffuse Proliferative Glomerulonephritis (DPGN)
(Causes)
- SLE (a common cause of death in SLE)
- Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN)
Focal Segmental glomerulosclerosis
(Causes)
- Most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in African Americans (Lipoprotein L1) and Hispanics
- Can be primary (idiopathic)
- Can be secondary to:
* HIV infection
* Sickle cell disease
* Heroin abuse
* Morbid obesity
* Interferon treatment
* Chronic kidney disease due to congenital malformations or some familial case with mutations in NPHS1 (nephrin) and NPHS2 (podocin) genes encoding for proteins forming the slit pores
Membranous glomerulonephritis
(Causes)
- Most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in Caucasian adults
- 85% is primary (idiopathic) due to anti-bodies against phospholipase A2 receptor
- Secondary to:
* Drugs: penicillamine and NSAIDs
* Infections: HBV, HCV, HIV, syphilis and malaria
* SLE and DM
* Solid tumors: colon and lung cancers
* Heavy metals: mercury, gold and lead
Acute proliferative glomerulonephritis (acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis)
(Treatment and Prognosis)
- Treatment is supportive with antibiotics and diuretics to prevent fluid overload
- In children good prognosis with > 95% will recover completely, but severe cases may progress to rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and chronic glomerulonephritis
- In adults 60% will recover completely and 40% will progress to rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and chronic glomerulonephritis
Description and Diagnosis
- Dense deposits in the basement membrane
- Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (MPGN) type II which is now known as Dense deposit disease
Description and Diagnosis
- Pinky hyaline material in capillary loop region due to increase in mesangial matrix due to the non-enzymatic glycosylation of proteins
- Nodular glomerulosclerosis (Kimmelstiel-Wilson syndrome)
General Principles of Glomerular Diseases
- Generally are chronic
- Generally are not caused by toxins or hypoperfusion
- All of them can cause nephrotic syndrome
- Biopsy is the most accurate test
- Are often treated with steroids
- Additional immunosuppressive medications (cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate) are frequently used
Description and Diagnosis
- Diffuse capillary and GBS thickening, but without increase in cellularity
- Membranous glomerulonephritis
Goodpasture syndrome
(Treatment and Prognosis)
- Emergent plasmapheresis with pulsed steroids and possibly cytotoxic drugs
- Poor prognosis due to life-threatening pulmonary hemorrhage and RPGN that may lead to renal failure
- Rapid aggressive treatment may prevent the development of ESRD
Description and Diagnosis
- Trichrome stain with blue collagen deposition
- Focal Segmental glomerulosclerosis