We conducted a prospective study to assess utility of detection of antibodies to phospholipase A2receptor (PLA2R) in the serum of patients with membranous nephropathy. Seventy five patients with biopsy proven membranous nephropathy admitted between January 2011 and September 2014 were studied. Serum anti- PLA2R was tested by indirect immunofluorescence. The test was positive in 45 out of 60 patients with primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) and in none of the 15 patients with secondary membranous nephropathy, with a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 100% for PMN. Anti PLA2R positivity also showed a significant correlation with quantum of proteinuria and negative correlation with serum albumin. This study has validated detection of serum anti PLA2R in PMN as a non invasive diagnostic tool in Indian patients.
Infection-related glomerulonephritis (IRGN) is an immune-mediated glomerulo-nephritis, most commonly caused by bacterial infections. Although there is an increased incidence of infectious episodes in renal transplant recipients, IRGN as a cause of de novo glomerulonephritis is rarely seen probably due to impaired immunity. We hereby report a 28-year-old male renal transplant recipient, who developed IRGN following impetigenous skin lesions after six years of transplant. He developed rapid worsening of allograft function and was started on hemodialysis. Allograft renal biopsy showed diffuse exudative endocapillary proliferation with crescents. Electron microscopy revealed large subepithelial hump-like deposits. Despite pulse steroid therapy, he became dialysis dependent. Our patient is unique in the way that poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis in an adult after renal transplantation has not been reported so far. We conclude that IRGN after renal transplant, though rare is a possible etiology for allograft dysfunction. There is no definitive treatment protocol for this de novo glomerulonephritis which has an overall poor prognosis.
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