title: Correlation of proteinuria with podocyte foot process effacement in IgA nephropathy: an ultrastructural study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proteinuria is an uncommon clinical manifestation of IgA nephropathy and is usually seen in cases with severe lesions like endocapillary proliferation. However, it is occasionally seen even with cases with mild glomerular manifestations and may even be of nephrotic range.
  
  
  METHODS
  Podocyte foot process effacement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severity of proteinuria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Podocyte foot process effacement was measured. Morphometric analysis was performed on transmission electron microscope images using a computerized digital photomicrograph system (BioWizard 4.2 Image analysis software, New Delhi, India). Proteinuria was measured quantitatively assigned into five grades.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that as the extent of proteinuria increased, the effacement ratio also increased, and this was most significant between "no" proteinuria and the rest of the categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nephrotic presentation in IgA nephropathy is a known phenomenon and in certain cases may show near normal glomerular morphology with severe foot process effacement on EM being the only significant finding to explain the proteinuria. Proteinuria in these cases shows a significant correlation with degree of foot process effacement. Renal biopsy is important in these cases because they are known to have a better prognosis and are usually steroid responsive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College , Pune, Maharashtra , India .
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tewari
authors.forename: Ritambhra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nada
authors.forename: Charan Singh
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rayat
authors.forename: Dibyajyoti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boruah
authors.forename: Puja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dudeja
authors.forename: Kusum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sakhuja
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D050199:Podocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011379:Prognosis; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Foot process effacement; IgA nephropathy; proteinuria