title: IgM nephropathy: is it closer to minimal change disease or to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis?
abstract: Immunoglobulin (Ig)M nephropathy (IgMN), known since 1978, is a very controversial clinicopathological entity characterized by IgM diffuse deposits in the mesangium at immunofluorescence whereas light microscop identifies minimal glomerular lesion, hypercellularity and expansion of the mesangium or sclerotic focal, segmental lesion. Clinically, it is a nephrotic syndrome, especially in pediatric patients, or asymptomatic proteinuria and/or isolated hematuria. These characteristics narrowly define IgMN between minimal change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, so it is not often recognized as a separate pathology. Homogeneous epidemiologic, pathogenetic, clinical or histological data are not available. Recent research on the pathogenetic role of mesangial IgM has, however, renewed interest in IgMN and naturally the controversies.
authors: Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, S. Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Piazza Menghini, 1, San Sisto, 06156, Perugia, Italy. rbrugnano@libero.it.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Brugnano
authors: Department of Experimental Medicine-Section of Pathological Anatomy and Histology, Medical School, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Del Sordo
authors: Department of Experimental Medicine-Section of Pathological Anatomy and Histology, Medical School, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Covarelli
authors: U.O.C Nephrology and Dialysis, S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Gnappi
authors: U.O.C Nephrology and Dialysis, S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Pasquali
mesh_terms: D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009402:Nephrosis, Lipoid / Q000473:pathology*; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: Controversy; Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis; IgM nephropathy; Minimal change disease; Nephrotic syndrome