Molecular classification of membranous nephropathy

Membranous Nephropathy

A forty-three year old female applied for a $200,000 ten year decreasing term policy. She admitted a history of "kidney disorder" on the application. She was not being treated or having any symptoms but stated that she was under observation. A routine paramed exam showed height 5’4", weight 140 lbs, and blood pressure 110/70. The BCP was normal. The HOS showed 210 mg/dl proteinuria. A reflex de...

Membranous Nephropathy

Forty-one patients with a nephrotic syndrome and biopsy-proven membranous nephropathy were administered a 3 to 6-month course of cyclosporine (CsA; 4 to 5 mg/kg per day). Differential solute clearances were used to evaluate glomerular function before and after therapy. CsA lowered median proteinuria by 56%, from 7.3 to 3.2 g/24 h (P < 0.0001). Corresponding mean increments in serum albumin, imm...

Membranous Nephropathy

Membranous nephropathy (MN), a very common cause of nephrotic syndrome, is a glomerulopathy defined histopathologically by the presence of immune complexes on the extracapillary side of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is an antibody-mediated glomerular disease with no defined etiology, histologically characterized by uniform thickening of glomerul...

Management of membranous nephropathy.

The management of membranous nephropathy first requires the recognition of whether the disorder is primary (idiopathic) or secondary. Next, a familiarity with its natural history and knowledge of our current capacity to predict those patients with the worst outcome is reviewed. Treatment options of those at risk of progression with immunosuppressive drugs is then discussed along with the requir...

Clinical, Genetic and Molecular Aspects of Membranous Nephropathy