Absence of hypoalbuminemia despite nephrotic proteinuria in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis secondary to polycythemia vera

Abstract

In addition to displaying geographic variation, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) has become the commonest cause of the nephrotic syndrome seen in adults in recent years. Secondary FSGS in particular, is observed when glomerular workload is increased. Polycythemia vera (PV) is a hematological disease characterized by abnormal proliferation in the erythroid series. The number of case reports belonging to glomerulonephritis secondary to PV is limited. In the literature, there are few reports of FSGS. One study pointed out that the presence of normoalbuminemia was detected in patients with FSGS secondary to hyperfiltration when there was nephrotic proteinuria. Here, we report a case of FSGS following a course with normoalbuminemia despite nephrotic range proteinuria developing secondary to PV. Our case is the first report in the literature with thes characteristics. © 2010 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.