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Thin‐membrane nephropathy — a common cause of glomerular haematuria
Author(s) -
Perry Gregory J.,
George Charles R.P.,
Field Michael J.,
Collett Paul V.,
Kalowski Steven,
Wyndham Roger N.,
Newland Ronald C.,
Lin Betty PC.,
Kneale Kennett L.,
Lawrence James R.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1989.tb139637.x
Subject(s) - medicine , proteinuria , glomerular basement membrane , nephropathy , urology , renal biopsy , basement membrane , biopsy , kidney , gastroenterology , surgery , pathology , endocrinology , diabetes mellitus
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 < 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.