Korean J Med.  2017 Jun;92(3):295-299. 10.3904/kjm.2017.92.3.295.

Membranous Nephropathy Relapsed after 20-year of Complete Remission

• Park M
• Sung JM
• Kim HY
• Kim DH
• Kim SH
• Park WD

• KMID: 2410191
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2017.92.3.295

Abstract

Membranous nephropathy is the most common pathologic lesion in adult patients with nephrotic syndrome. The cause is idiopathic, and the pathogenesis is believed to involve the deposition of immune complexes in the subepithelial tissue of the glomerular capillaries. After a period of 5 to 10 years, one-third of patients with membranous nephropathy will develop spontaneous remission, one-third will develop sustained proteinuria, and one-third will experience progression to chronic renal disease. Proteinuria may recur in patients who are in complete remission; this has been reported in approximately 26% of patients during an average of 89 months. To date, however, recurrence of membranous nephropathy has not been reported in patients who have been in complete remission for ≥ 20 years. We report herein such a case. Membranous nephropathy may recur in adult patients who are currently in the remission stage. Ongoing follow-up is therefore required, even after several years of complete remission.

Keyword

Glomerulonephritis; Membranous; Recurrence; Proteinuria

MeSH Terms

Adult
Antigen-Antibody Complex
Capillaries
Follow-Up Studies
Glomerulonephritis
Glomerulonephritis, Membranous*
Humans
Nephrotic Syndrome
Proteinuria
Recurrence
Remission, Spontaneous
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
Antigen-Antibody Complex