Glomerular diseases

Glomerular diseases is the third most common cause of end-stage renal disease (after diabetes and hypertension) in Europe and the USA, accounting for some 10-15% of such patients.

Glomerulonephritis is a general term for a group of disorders in which:

• there is primarily an immunologically mediated injury to glomeruli, although renal interstitial damage is a regular accompaniment
• the kidneys are involved symmetrically
• secondary mechanisms of glomerular injury come into play following an initial immune insult (see below)
• the renal lesion may be part of a generalized disease (e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE).

Glomerular diseases Pathogenesis

Pathogenetic mechanisms include:

• deposition or in situ formation of immune complexes
• deposition of antiglomerular basement membrane antibody (fewer than 5% of glomerulonephritides)
• deposition of an immunoglobulin of atypical configuration in glomeruli, as in IgA nephropathy.

These pathogenetic mechanisms activate secondary mechanisms that produce glomerular damage.

IGA Nephropathy, Goodpastures Syndrome, Henoch Schonlein Purpura, Hypertensive Encephalopathy, Pulmonary Oedema, Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, Alports Syndrome, Glomerulonephritis, Acute Glomerulonephritis, Membranous Glomerulonephritis, Post Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis

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