Korean J Nephrol.  2007 Sep;26(5):548-553.

Nephron Numbers in Patients with Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome (MCNS) and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)

• Hwang HH
• Yoon BS
• Kim KH
• Shin SK
• Kang EW
• Yoo TH
• Kie JH

Abstract

PURPOSE: It has been proposed that a decreased nephron number may be associated with the increased risk of glomerulosclerosis. In order to test the hypothesis that a reduced number and an increased volume of glomeruli may contribute to the pathogenesis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), we compared the number and volume of glomeruli between 9 patients with FSGS and 8 with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS).
METHODS
Mean glomerular volume was measured using the method of Weibel and Gomez. An estimate of glomerular number (index) was obtained by multiplying the cortical volume of a kidney by the fraction of renal cortex made up of glomeruli and dividing this by the mean glomerular volume for that kidney x 10(6). We determined kidney volume from ultrasonographic measurement.
RESULTS
Patients with FSGS had significantly greater glomerular volume than patients with MCNS [2.02+/-0.36 (x10(6) micrometer3) vs. 1.57+/-0.27 (x10(6) micrometer3)] (p<0.025). However, there was no significant difference in the index of glomerular number (estimated glomerular number) between FSGS & MCNS patients (2.8+/-1.4 vs. 3.0+/-0.8).
CONCLUSION
The glomerular volume was greater in FSGS patients than MCNS patients. But there was no significant difference in the index of glomerular number between patients with FSGS and MCNS.

Keyword

Kidney glomerulus; Nephrotic syndrome; Minimal change; Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

MeSH Terms

Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental*
Humans
Kidney
Kidney Glomerulus
Nephrons*
Nephrosis, Lipoid*
Nephrotic Syndrome