Mesangial immunoglobulin A deposits in minimal change nephrotic syndrome: a report of an older patient and review of the literature

Abstract

A 57-year-old patient with a history of monoclonal immunoglobulin A (IgA) gammopathy developed idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Renal biopsy showed minimal glomerular changes with predominant glomerular mesangial IgA. The association of glomerular mesangial IgA with otherwise typical minimal change nephrotic syndrome has been noted before, and the literature concerning this combination of findings is reviewed. The patient herein described represents one of the two oldest patients yet reported with this syndrome and raises questions about the relationship between minimal change disease and IgA nephropathy. Severe proteinuria (and even the nephrotic syndrome) is not necessarily the harbinger of a poor prognosis in IgA nephropathy if the glomerular morphology is otherwise consistent with minimal change nephrotic syndrome. Such patients should be treated in a fashion similar to those with minimal change nephrotic syndrome. The significance of the IgA gammopathy in the pathogenesis of this case is unknown.