An enigmatic case of IgG4-related nephropathy and an updated review of the literature

Abstract

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is still an underestimated disorder which affects multiple organs, and its recognition as a distinct clinical disease has been only proved in the recent decades. The renal involvement has been documented in approximately 15% of patients with IgG4-RD, and the typical manifestation is a tubulo-interstitial nephritis. The main histological findings in IgG4-RD are typically a dense tissue infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells, storiform fibrosis, obliterative phlebitis, and frequently elevated IgG4 serum levels. Herein we report our atypical and peculiar clinical presentation of an IgG4-related nephropathy (IgG4-RN) and the remarkable response to rituximab (RTX) treatment at the renal imaging with computerized tomography assessment. The current nephrological evidences support the renal function recovery after steroids or steroids plus RTX therapy, even if the renal imaging data are not always shown. In a complex and enigmatic clinical scenario such as the IgG4-RN, both the renal biopsy and the renal imaging before and after the immunosuppressive therapy become mandatory tools to thoroughly define the diagnosis, the management and the response to the immunological therapy.

Keywords: IgG4; IgG4-related disease; IgG4-related nephropathy; Retroperitoneal fibrosis; Rituximab; Storiform fibrosis.