Combined IgA Nephropathy and Membranous Glomerulonephritis : A Report of Six Cases

ABSTRACT

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) are common in adults. However, it is unlikely that these two distinct glomerulonephrites coexist in a renal biopsy. Here, we report clinical and pathological data of six patients with concomitant existence of IgAN and MGN in renal biopsy specimens from 1990 to 2004. Five patients were male and one was female, and their ages ranged from 29 to 71 years. Four patients had microscopic hematuria, five had nephrotic range proteinuria, three had hepatitis B virus infections, three had rheumatoid factors, one had antinuclear antibodies. Two cases were developed after kidney transplant. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed characteristic findings of mesangial IgA deposits and granular IgG deposits on the capillary walls. These were confirmed by electron microscopic findings of immune-type electron-dense deposits in the mesangium and subepithelial capillary basement membranes. The pathogenesis and prognosis of the patients are discussed in this report.