Thin-membrane nephropathy--a common cause of glomerular haematuria.
Thin-membrane nephropathy recently has been described as a cause of glomerular haematuria. The prognosis of the condition is unclear but it generally is considered to be benign. In a series of 92 patients with glomerular haematuria, thin-membrane nephropathy was found to be a common cause, occurring in 26 (28%) patients. Sixteen patients were women. The mean age was 42 years. Four patients had a family history of renal disease or haematuria and no patient was deaf. Haematuria had been present from six days to 30 years. Loin pain occurred in 31% of patients. Hypertension was not a feature and mild renal impairment was present in one case only, while a further three cases showed proteinuria at a level of greater than 500 mg of protein per day. Glomerular basement membranes in patients with thin-membrane nephropathy gave a mean (+/- standard deviation) width of 319 + 37 nm which was significantly (P less than 0.002) less than the control value of 394 +/- 61 nm. On the basis of clinical features and serological parameters, thin-membrane nephropathy could not be separated from other renal causes of haematuria but required careful electronmicroscopic examination of renal biopsy material to establish the diagnosis. Limited follow-up has confirmed the good prognosis of the condition.
Perry
G J
GJ
Repatriation General Hospital Concord, NSW.
George
C R
CR
Field
M J
MJ
Collett
P V
PV
Kalowski
S
S
Wyndham
R N
RN
Newland
R C
RC
Lin
B P
BP
Kneale
K L
KL
Lawrence
J R
JR
D000328:Adult; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies