title: Natural history and renal pathology in patients with isolated microscopic hematuria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No definite conclusions have been reached about the natural history of patients with isolated microscopic hematuria (IMH). In this study, we observed the natural history of patients with IMH and examined factors related to a pathologic diagnosis and subsequent prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 156 subjects with IMH who had a renal biopsy performed. Of the 156 subjects, 33.3% were diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, 23.7% with mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, 15.4% with glomerular minor lesion, and 12.8% with thin basement membrane nephropathy; 6.4% had normal biopsies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We followed up with 100 subjects for about 31 months. During this follow-up period, two subjects who had received a pathologic diagnosis of IgA nephropathy developed chronic kidney disease. During the course of the study, one of these subjects presented with proteinuria and hypertension and the other with proteinuria. The overall incidences of proteinuria and hypertension were 6% and 5% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prognosis for patients with IMH was relatively favorable, but patients developing proteinuria and/or hypertension require careful observation and management during the follow-up period.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Byung Soo
authors: BS
authors: Kim
authors: Yong Kyun
authors: YK
authors: Kim
authors: Young Shin
authors: YS
authors: Shin
authors: Young Ok
authors: YO
authors: Kim
authors: Ho Cheol
authors: HC
authors: Song
authors: Yong Soo
authors: YS
authors: Kim
authors: Euy Jin
authors: EJ
authors: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies