A Case of Overlapping Syndrome of Primary Membranous Nephropathy and IgA Nephropathy / 대한신장학회잡지

We report a rare case of primary glomerular disease with both features of IgA nephropathy and membranous glomerulonephritis in a 27 year-old woman with nephrotic syndrome. Histologically, glomeruli showed slight mesangial expansion, proliferation of mesangial cells, and short subepithelial spikes on capillary wall. Direct immunofluorescence demonstrated granular IgG and C3 deposits along the capillary walls, and IgA with C3 deposits in mesangium. Granular subepithelial and rnesangial deposits were observed by electron microscopy. The patient showed complete remission after 6 months therapy with steroid and ACE inhibitor.

A Case of Anti-glomerular Basement Membrane Antibody mediated Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis / 대한신장학회잡지

Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody mediated rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis(anti- GBM antibody mediated RPGN) is defined by the clinical picture of renal failure developing over days or weeks and the histological appearance of crescents and linear immune deposits mediated by the circulating autoantibodies. We report a case of anti-GBM antibody mediated RPGN with review of literature. A 59-year-old female patient was admitted to the Chungang Gil Hospital because of fever and acute deterioration of renal function. On admission, hemoglobin was 7.39g/dL, hematocrit was 20.9%, and BUN/Cr were 39.7 and 5.23mg/dL respectively. Urinalysis showed albumin (1+) with many RBCs. Renal biopsy revealed the presence of segmental or circumferential cellular crescents associated with smooth linear staining of glomerular basement membrane with antibody to IgG. High titer of circulating antibody to glomerular basement membrane antigen was demonstrated by the ELISA. High doses of corticosteroid with plasmapheresis were administered, but her renal function was progressively deteriorated.

Clinical Significance of Recirculation Measured by Two Needle Slow Method / 대한내과학회지

OBJECTIVES: Recirculation is one of the factors preventing effective hemodialysis(HD) and one of the methods which can detect vascular access stenosis. We analyzed the possible clinical risk factors and relationship between the recirculation rate(R) and adequacy of hemodialysis. Also, we attempted to find out whether vascular access stenosis actually exist in the high R group. METHODS: We examined the period of hemodialysis, the presence of diabetes mellitus(DM), use of artificial grafts, the venous pressure(VP) during HD, the difference(deltaKt/V) between prescribed Kt/V(Kt/V') and delivered Kt/V(Kt/V") in 113 patients(22 DM, 39 artifical graft patients) receving maintenence HD. R was obtained by two needle slow flow method. Fistulogram was performed in the high R group(R>10%) and if significant stenosis was found, surgical correction was performed followed by repeated R, VP, Kt/V" measurement. RESULTS: As a whole R was 5.6%(+/-8.8), VP was 92mmHg(+/-44), the duration of hemodialysis was 36 months(+/-25) and Kt/V" was 1.20 (+/-0.29). The VP of the group with artificial graft was higher than that of the group with native fistula, but there was no relationship between R and duration of HD, Kt/V", deltaKt/V as a whole. The VP and deltaKt/V of group with high R(>10%) were significantly higher than the group with low R(or=100mmHg) than in the group with low VP(<100mmHg) as well as in patients with diabetes or prosthetic grafts, CONCLUSION: We believe recirculation should be measured during maintenance HD especially when the patient has diabetes, artificial graft or high venous pressure during HD. When the recirculation rate is high, reconstructive vascular surgery with proprer mediacl management may lead to better dialysis adequacy.