Membranous nephropathy

Abstract

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of primary nephrotic syndrome in adults: recent figures from the Netherlands show an incidence of around ten per million population per year [1]. Identical clinical presentation and histological appearances can occur whether the condition is primary or ‘idiopathic’ (IMN) or when it is secondary to various drugs, infections or tumours (see Table 17.1), so that careful consideration to exclude an underlying cause is needed when assessing each new patient. When such a cause can be identified, the prognosis is that of the underlying condition and management should be directed towards that condition: causative drugs should be stopped and infections or tumours treated and eradicated if possible. If successful the secondary MN can be expected to resolve.