Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis

Abstract

Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis (MCGN) accounting for 15 percent of adult glomerulopathy has not received proper attention in the Hungarian medical literature. The present study offers a detailed description of the procedures to be used for distinguishing its three types, which is only possible by histological, mainly electron microscopic examination of kidney biopsy samples. Type I represents subendothelial deposits; Type II is the "sausage-like" dense deposits localised on the lamina densa of the glomerular basal basement membrane; Type III is the mixed type. There is no significant difference in their clinical appearance. They occur most frequently as "coloured nephrosis" (the syndrome of nephrosis is associated with haematuria and/or hypertension). The course of the disease is characterised by periodicity, and in 50 percent of the cases kidney failure may develop. The therapy for MCGN has not been established. The administration of steroid, cyclophosphamide and anticoagulant can have a favourable effect.