Medical kidney diseases
This article describes medical renal disease or the medical kidney. Much in medical kidney depends on the clinical information. Most of the disease seen by pathologists is... glomerular disease. If in doubt... the answer to most questions is diabetes mellitus or systemic lupus erythematosus. Medical kidney is niche area in pathology. It is one of the few areas that routinely requires electron microscopy.
Kidney tumours are dealt with in the kidney tumours article, and pediatric kidney tumours article.
Clinical
Creatinine
- The standard screening test for renal function.
- 300 mmol/L is the general cut-point for referral to a nephrologist.[1]
Notes:
- Dinosaurs use the units mg/dL; normal with these units is: 0.8 to 1.4 mg/dL.[2]
- Conversion: 1.0 mg/dL = 88.4 umol/L.[3][4]
Glomerular filtration rate
- Abbreviated GFR.
- Ultimate measure of renal function - usually estimated from the serum creatinine using a formula.
- Declines with age.
- Normal range (dependent on age): 116-75 mL/min/1.73m2.[5]
Urine protein to creatinine ratio
- Indicator of proteinuria.
- Predictor of glomerular filtration rate.[6]
Cut points:[7]
- Normal (2 years and older): <0.2 g protein / g Creatinine
- Nephrotic range: >3.5 g protein / g Creatinine.
Complement
C3, C4 levels:[8]
- Changed:
- Normal:
- Minimal change disease.
- Chronic pyelonephritis.
- Renal vein thrombosis.
- Amyloidosis.
ANCA
Types:[12]
- MPO-ANCA (myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody).
- Previously p-ANCA.
- Seen in ANCA-vasculitides, esp. microscopic polyangiitis.
- PR3-ANPA (proteinase 3 antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody).
- Previously c-ANCA.
- Seen in ANCA-vasculitides, esp. Wegener granulomatosis.
C4d
- Suggests humoral immunity (antibody-mediated immunity) at play.
- Important in monitoring of renal transplant recipients.
- Immunostain also available - see below.
Other blood work
- ANA, dsDNA -- to screen for systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Hepatitis B.
- Hepatitis C.
- HIV.
- Serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) -- to screen for plasma cell neoplasms.
- Often done together with urine protein electrophoresis (UPEP).
Renal ultrasound
- Normal adult kidney size ~10.8+/-0.8 cm.[13]
- Good for assessing the major vessels, drainage system and parenchymal lesions.
- Renal artery stenosis?
- Hydronephrosis?
- Pelviectasis?
- Renal cyst?
- Renal mass?
Urine dip
Findings:[14]
- RBC casts = acute bleed, e.g. nephritic syndrome.
- WBC casts = interstitial nephritis, e.g. pylonephritis, parenchymal infection.
- Hemegranular casts = acute tubular necrosis, transplant rejection.
Notes:
- "Active sediment" = RBCs, RBC casts;[15] implies glomerulonephritis.
- Some include the above (RBCs, RBC casts) + WBCs & protein.[16]
Urine crystals
Clinical presentations
Nephrotic syndrome
Features:
- Anasarca (whole body - edema).
- Proteinuria (>3.5 g/24h).
- Hypercholesterolemia.
- Hypoalbuminemia.
Nephritic syndrome
Features - mnemonic PHAROH:[17]
- Proteinuria.
- Hypertension.
- Azotemia.
- RBC casts.
- Oliguria.
- Hematuria.
Mixed
- Features of nephritic syndrome and nephrotic syndrome.
Clinical DDx
The clinical presentations suggest a pathologic DDx.[18]
Nephritic
- Post-infectious glomerulonephritis.
- Classically streptococcal.
- Crescentic glomerulonephritis (AKA rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN)).
RPGN
Classification:[19]
- Linear immune deposits.
- Antiglomerular basement membrane disease & Goodpasture's syndrome.
- Granular immune deposits.
- Immune complex diseases.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus.
- IgA nephropathy.
- Others.
- Immune complex diseases.
- Pauci-immune.
- ANCA vasculitides.
Nephrotic
- Minimal segmental disease (MSD) - AKA minimal change disease (MCD).
- Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
- Membranous nephropathy.
Mixed presentation
Normal
Cells of the glomerulus
- Podocytes.
- Mesangial cells.
- Endothelium.
Epithelium
Features:[20]
- The glomeruli visceral epithelium is part of the capillary wall (part of the glomerular tuft).
- The parietal epithelium is part of Bowman's capsule.
Remember: visceral has vessels.
Glomerulus
- A large autopsy series suggest it is: 223-292 micrometers.[21]
- Another autopsy series suggests the mean diameter is: 225 micrometers.[22]
Glomerular basement membrane
The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) should be thinner than the tubular basement membrane.
Basic approach to renal biopsy
Basic components
- Glomeruli.
- Tubules.
- Interstitium.
- Vessels.
Glomeruli
- Mesangium
- Matrix should be: "one cell thick" (expanded in diabetes mellitus).
- Cellularity of the mesangium - normal = upto 3 cells (don't count cell abutting the capillary lumen, don't count at the hilum).
- Capillary loops "open"
- Lumina patent? If not patent is it due to matrix or cells (endocapillary hypercellularity).
- Capillary wall morphology - wavy thin is normal; hulla-hoop/wire-like abnormal (suggestive of immune complex deposition).
- Bowman's space (urinary space) - crescents present?
- Count the number of glomeruli.
- Count number of the obsolete glomeruli.
Components of the glomeruli (anatomical)
- Podocyte - rarely affect by disease
- Endothelial cell.
- Mesangial cell.
Obsolete glomeruli
- Completely sclerosed glomeruli are not important - unless present in larger numbers than expected for the age of the patient.
- Percent of sclerosed glomeruli = (age in years)/2 - 10%.[24]
Example:
- It is normal for an 80 year-old to have 30% sclerosed glomeruli.
Glomerular disease terms
Number of glomeruli involved:[25]
- Focal = some of the glomeruli.
- In practical terms, defined as: <50% of glomeruli.
- Diffuse = most of glomeruli.
How much of the glomerulus is involved:[25]
- Global = most of the glomerulus.
- In practical terms, defined as: >80% of glomerulus.[26]
- Segmental = part of the glomerulus.
Vessels
- Arteriolar hyalinosis - too much glassy pink stuff?
- Intimal hyperplasia (atherosclerosis).
Consider:
- Vasculitis? - inflammatory cells in vessel wall.
- Amyloid? - pink.
- Rejection? - PMNs.
- Cholesterol emboli?
Arteriolar hyalinosis
Microscopic:
- Small vessels (afferent +/- efferent arteriole) with:
- Glassy eosinophilic material in arteriolar wall.
- PAS stain +ve.
- Glassy eosinophilic material in arteriolar wall.
DDx:
- Aging.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Hypertension.
- Drugs - calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus, cyclosporine).
Note:
- Arteriolar hyalinosis - involves afferent and efferent arterioles in diabetes, in others it is only the afferent.
Memory device ADHD:
- Aging, Diabetes, Hypertension, Drugs.
Image:
- Arterial hyaline - HE - very high mag. (WC).
- Arterial hyaline - PAS - very high mag. (WC).
- Arterial hyaline - HPS - very high mag. (WC).
Atherosclerosis
Microscopic:
- Intimal thickening of medium-sized vessels.
- Where is the intima/media interface?
- Internal elastic lamina - wavy band of eosinophilic material on H&E that is 1-2 micrometres thick.
- Where is the intima/media interface?
Grading - based on the thickness of the media and intima:
- Mild: (tunica) media > (tunica) intima.
- Moderate: media = intima.
- Severe: media < intima.
Tubules
Tubules - proximal portion is the most important.
Consider:
- Casts?
- Degeneration, i.e. apoptosis.
- Necrosis?
- Regeneration, e.g. mitoses.
Interstitium
Interstitium
- Fibrosis - prognostically important.
- Grading: mild = <25%, moderate 25-50%, severe >50%.
- Inflammation?
Staining
The standard stain in kidney pathology is PAS. Section are usually 1-2 micrometers, as opposed to 4-5 micrometers seen in rountine section of other organs.
Interpretation of medical renal disease more difficult or even impossible if the sections are thicker, as one does not see the glomerular structures well.
In kidney that is cut thick the glomeruli look more nodular and it is more difficult to find open capillary loops.
Immunofluorescence
Routinue (mnemonic GAM CF):
- IgG.
- IgA.
- IgM.
- C1q
- C3.
- Fibrinogen.
- Albumin.
Optional:
- Kappa.
- Lambda.
- C4d.
- Positive staining = peri-tubular capillaries stain.
Negative immunofluorescence
- Excludes all immune complex associated disease.
Seen in:
Positive immunofluorescence
- Positive immunofluorescence is usually diagnostic.
Basic patterns:
- Linear.
- Granular.
- Ring-like.
Examples:
- Linear IgG:
- Granular deposits:
- "Full house" - all present.
- Branching IgA.
- IgG, C3, kappa, lambda.
- Linear C3 with mesangial rings; IgG -ve, IgA -ve.
- Dense deposit disease (DDD).
Notes:
- Nonspecific linear IgG staining may be seen in diabetic nephropathy.
Can be:
- Subepithelial - distal to basement membrane (BM), closer to the urinary space.
- Subendothelial - proximal to BM, closer to the glomerular capillary.
Pathologic differential diagnosis
Tram-tracking of BM
DDx:[27]
- MPGN.
- Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA).
- Transplant glomerulopathy (TG).
Mesangial hypercellularity
DDx:
Mesangial expansion
DDx:
- Diabetes mellitus.[28]
- Immune complex mediated disease
Glomerular crescents
- AKA crescents.
General
- Indicates a rapidly progressive disease.
- Etiology/definition: break in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM).
Microscopic
Features:
- Crescentic-shaped lesion in the urinary space of a glomerulus.
- Crescent = looks like the moon shortly after new moon.
- Cells & cellular debris in the urinary space.
- Crescents lack GBM -- thus PAS -ve and MPAS -ve.
- Break in the glomerular basement membrane - key feature.
- Best seen on a silver stain (e.g. Jones stain).
- Fibrin.
- Inflammatory cells (lymphocytes, plasma cells, eosinophils, macrophages) - extravascular - low power feature.
DDx:
- Glomerular sclerosis:
- GBM visible through-out glomerulus.
- No fibrin.
- Collagen deposition within the glomerular tuft.
- Seen with trichrome stain.
- +/-Glomerular tuft-capsule adhesions.
- +/-Glomerular enlargement.
- Usu. no significant inflammation.
Bland necrotic crescents
DDx:
- ANCA-related glomerulonephritis.
- Anti-GBM disease.
Diseases with crescents - is a long list.[29]
Primary light microscopy patterns
Pattern | Key feature | Other findings | DDx of the pattern | DDx | Image |
Normal light microscopy | Normal histology | none | membranous nephropathy, FSGS | normal kidney, minimal change disease, thin glomerular basement membrane disease, Alport syndrome, early membranous nephropathy | Image? |
Nodular mesangial expansion | nodular mesangial matrix expansion, no mesangial hypercellularity | GBM thickening, both afferent and efferent arteriole hyalinized | diffuse proliferative GN, membranous nephropathy | diabetic nephropathy, idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis, amyloidosis, light chain deposition disease | (WC) |
Membranous nephropathy (MN) | GBM spikes or pinholes with silver stain, GBM thickening on PAS | +/-mesangial hypercellularity +/-tram-tracking/wireloop GBM | normal light microscopy, light chain deposition disease | hepatitis B, hepatitis C, carcinoma, NSAID toxicity, SLE, idiopathic (MN); light chain deposition disease (plasma cell neoplasm) | (WC) |
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis | sclerosed glomeruli = mesangial expansion with collagen | +/-glomerular enlargement, +/- tuft-capsule adhesions | rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, nodular mesangial expansion | primary FSGS, secondary FSGS (HIV, IVDU, obesity, parvovirus B19, Alport syndrome | (WC) |
Diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis | mesangial hypercellularity | +/-mesangial expansion, +/-interstitial inflammation | nodular glomerulosclerosis | post-infectious glomerulonephritis, MPGN, dense deposit disease, diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (class IV), cryoglobulinemic GN | (WC) |
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis | glomerular crescents | +/-inflammation, +/-vasculitis | FSGS, diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis | AGBM, post-infectious glomerulonephritis, pauci-immune GN, immune complex diseases (lupus nephritis, IgA nephropathy, others) | (WC) |
Tubular injury | tubular degeneration (loss of cilia in proximal tubule, apoptosis, necrosis), regeneration (mitosis, nucleoli) | +/-interstitial fibrosis | normal light microscopy | acute tubular necrosis, chronic allograft nephropathy | (WC) |
Small vessel pathology | luminal narrowing; +/-thrombosis, +/-hyalinosis | +/-onion-skinning | none | thrombotic microangiopathy (malignant hypertension, scleroderma renal crisis, DIC, HUS, TTP, | hyalinosis (WC), TMA (WC) |
Large vessel pathology | luminal narrowing; +/-intimal thickening; +/-embolization | +/-medial thinning | none | atherosclerosis, embolization | Image |
Diagnoses - Table
Pattern | Key feature | Other findings | IF & EM | Presentation | Clinical | Pathol. DDx | Image |
Nodular glomerulosclerosis | nodular mesangial matrix expansion | GBM thickening, both afferent and efferent arteriole hyalinized | EM? | nephrotic (???) | diabetes mellitus (DM) | amyloidosis, idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis (nodular GS without DM) | (WC) |
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) | focal sclerosis of gloms | +/-interstitial fibrosis | IF: negative; EM: foot process loss | nephrotic syndrome | primary FSGS, secondary FSGS (HIV, IVDU, obesity, parvovirus B19, Alport syndrome); unresponsive to steroids, worse prognosis than MCD | minimal change disease | (WC) |
Membranous nephropathy (AKA membranous GN) |
spikes or pinholes with silver stain | mesangial hypercellularity; +/-tram-tracking/wireloop GBM | IF: diffuse granular capillary loop IgG, C3, kappa, lambda; EM: diffuse subepithelial deposits - spike forming | nephrotic syndrome | hepatitis B, hepatitis C, carcinoma, NSAID toxicity, SLE, idiopathic | Nodular glomerulosclerosis (?) | silver stain (flickr.com) |
Minimal change disease (MCD) | foot process loss on EM | usu. none | EM: foot process loss | nephrotic syndrome | primary vs. secondary (lymphoproliferative disorder, NSAIDs); idiopathic responds to steroids | FSGS, thin glomerular basement membrane disease (histologic DDx) | Image? |
IgA nephropathy | IgA branching pattern | +/-mesangial hypercellularity, +/-crescents | IF: IgA +ve (branching pattern); EM: dense mesangial deposits | mixed nephrotic/nephritic | primary vs. secondary (Henoch-Schoenlein purpura) | RPGN | (WC) |
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) | thick GBM | Other findings? | subepithelial deposits | mixed nephrotic/nephritic | SLE, cryoglobulinemia, hepatitis B, hepatitis C | Pathol. DDx? | Image? |
Focal proliferative glomerosclerosis (FPGS) |
<50% of glomeruli partially sclerosis | Other findings? | EM? | mixed nephrotic/nephritic | Clinical? | Pathol. DDx? | Image? |
Rapidly progressive GN (RPGN) | crescents | Other findings? | EM? | nephritic syndrome | AGBM, ANCA-vasculitis | IgA nephropathy with crescents | Image? |
Dense deposit disease | linear C3 with rings | +/-thick GBM | EM: GBM lamina densa thickening | Presentation? | mixed nephrotic/nephritic (???) | MPGN | (nature.com) |
Diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis
Pattern | Key feature | Clinical |
Post-infectious glomerulonephritis | IF: capillary loop +/- mesangial IgG/C3; EM: large infreq. hump-like subepithelial deposits | post-infection |
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) | low C3, normal C4; primary vs. secondary (often hepatitis C) | |
Dense deposit disease | ||
Cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis | ||
Diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis | systemic lupus erythematosus; low C3, low C4 | |
Diffuse proliferative IgA nephropathy | IF: IgA +ve (branching pattern) |
Common diseases
Diabetic nephropathy
General
- Due to diabetes mellitus - key feature.
- If there is no history of diabetes... it is idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis.
- Most common cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD).
- Biopsied only if the (clinical) features are atypical.
Microscopic
Features:[30]
- Thick glomerular basement membrane (GBM).
- Thickened (eosinophilic) tunica media in both the afferent and efferent arterioles.[31]
- Mesangial matrix expansion - leads to nodule formation Kimmelstiel-Wilson nodules (nodular glomerulosclerosis).
Other:
- Armanni-Ebstein change - cytoplasmic vacuolization of tubular cells (usu. loop of Henle) -- innermost cortex, outer medulla;[32] not specific to diabetes mellitus.[33]
Other - with weak evidence:
- Extra efferent vessels.[34]
Memory device:
- GBM = thick GBM, both afferent & efferent artiole thickened, mesangial matrix expansion.
Images:
- Nodular glomerulosclerosis (WC).
- Nodular GS (med.utah.edu).
- Armanni-Ebstein lesion (markwickmd.com).
Notes:
- Hypertensive kidneys have changes only in the afferent arteriole, i.e. the efferent arteriole is spared (see hypertension).
Grading
The severity of changes can be indicated by the grade:[35]
Grade | Criteria |
---|---|
Grade I | GBM thickening on EM only |
Grade II | Mild-to-moderate mesangial expansion only on LM |
Grade III | Glomerulus with mesangial nodules (Kimmelstiel–Wilson nodules) |
Grade IV | Stage III + global sclerosis in >50% of glomeruli |
IF
- Negative.
- +/-Nonspecific linear IgG.
EM
- Severe thickening of GBM.
- Mesangial sclerosis.
Lupus nephritis
- Abbreviated LN.
General
- Bread & butter of nephropathology.
- The biopsy is done to determine treatment, i.e. how much immunosuppression is needed.
Immunofluorescence
- "Full house" = all of 'em light up.
Classification
International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) classification:[36][37]
- Class I - minimal mesangial LN.
- Class II - mesangial proliferative LN.
- Mesangial hypercellularity. (???)
- Class III - focal lupus nephritis; <50% of glomeruli.
- Mesangial hypercellularity. (???)
- Class VI-S - diffuse segmental LN; >50% of glomeruli.
- Mesangial hypercellularity. (???)
- Class VI-G - global LN; >50% of glomeruli.
- Class V - Membranous lupus nephritis.
- Membranous nephropathy due to SLE.
- Class IV - Advanced sclerosing LN; essentially end-stage kidney.
Notes:
- Most of the action is in Class III and Class IV.
- Class I is near normal - doesn't get biopsied.
- Class IV is essentially a dead kidney - doesn't get biopsied.
Images:
- SLE nephritis - schematic (WC).
- Membranous lupus:
Nephrotic syndrome
This includes the following:
Mixed nephrotic and nephritic
IgA nephropathy
- AKA Berger disease.
General
- More common in Asians.
- Associated with an increased incidence of Celiac disease.[38]
Microscopic
Features:
- Variable:
- Mesangial hypercellularity - may be only light microscopy finding.
Note:
- Diagnosis based on immunofluorescence (IgA+).
Image: IgA nephropathy (med.utah.edu).
Scoring
IgA nephropathy can be scored using an assessment of mesangial proliferation, endocapillary proliferation, glomerulosclerosis and tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis (abbreviated MEST).[39]
IF
- IgA +ve -- branching pattern.
EM
- Mesangial deposits.
- These are electron dense, ergo dark on EM images.
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
- Abbreviated MPGN.
- Old name MPGN type 1.
General
- In adults most common cause: hepatitis C.
Other causes:
- SLE, cryoglobulinemia, hepatitis B.
Clinical:
- Nephrotic syndrome or nephrotic/nephritic syndrome.
Microscopic
Features:
- Endothelial cell proliferation.
- Basement membrane double layering (tram-tracking).
- Mesangial hypercellularity.
DDx:
Images:
Dense deposit disease
- Abbreviated DDD.
- AKA MPGN type 2 (old name).
General
- Usually children and young adults.
- No longer considered a type of MPGN.[40]
Microscopic
Features:
- Variable - may be like MPGN.
- Four patterns:[40]
- Hypercellularity and lobular (membranoproliferative-like).
- Mesangial proliferative.
- Crescentic.
- Acute proliferative and exudative.
- Four patterns:[40]
Images:
IF
- Linear C3 with mesangial rings (donut-like).
- IgG negative.
- IgA negative
EM
- Electron dense transformation of GBM lamina densa - key feature.
- Dense = darker.
Images:
Nephritic syndrome
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
- Abbreviated RPGN.
- AKA crescentic glomerulonephritis.
General
- Acute renal dysfunction.
- Nephritic syndrome.
DDx:
- Linear immunofluorescence.
- Granular immunofluorescence
- Pauci-immune.
Microscopic
Features:
- Glomerular crescents.
- Interstitial inflammation.
- +/-Vasculitis.
Image:
Post-infectious glomerulonephritis
General
- Post-streptococcal infection.
- Lab test: Antistreptolysin O titer (ASOT) +ve.
Microscopic
Features:
- +/-Neutrophils - in glomerulus.
- Glomerular crescents.
Image:
Rare diseases
Antiglomerular basement membrane disease
- Abbreviated AGBM.
General
- Known as Goodpasture disease (AKA Goodpasture syndrome), if renal failure is accompanied by pulmonary hemorrhage.[41]
- Rare - estimated incidence 1/1-2 million.[42]
- Antibody mediated hypersensitivity.
- Thought to occur in genetically susceptible individuals.[42]
- Associated with a specific HLA type (HLA-DRB1*1501) and two gene families.
- Antibodies directed against COL4A3,[43] which is not mutated.
Tx:
- Immune suppression & plasma exchange.[44]
Clinical DDx:
- Wegener granulomatosis.
- Azathioprine toxicity.[45]
Microscopic
Features:
- RPGN.
- Crescentic glomerulonephritis.
IF
- Linear IgG deposits - diagnostic.
DDx:
- Goodpasture syndrome with the pulmonary hemorrhage.
Thin glomerular basement membrane disease
General
- Collagen IV mutation - the same protein is involved in Alport syndrome.
Clinical:
- Hematuria.
- FHx.
- Nonprogressive.
Microscopic
- Normal.
IF
- Normal.
EM
- GBM thin <200-250 - key feature.
Note:
- Normal GBM: 300-350 nm.
Alport syndrome
General
Clinical:
- Hearing loss (sensorineural).
- Hematuria - usually preceeds hearing loss.[46]
- Can be thought of a pathologic form of thin basement membrane disease.[47]
Etiology:
- Genetic defect - collagen type IV.
Inheritance:[46]
- X-linked - 80%.
- Autosomal recessive - 15%.
- Autosomal dominant - 5%.
Microscopic
Features:[48]
- Normal.
IF
- Negative.
EM
Features:[48]
- Abnormal glomerular basement membrane (GBM); thinning or thickening.
- Classically thinning with thick lamellation (splitting/multi-layering).
Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis
General
- Not diabetic - key feature.
Associations:[49]
- Smoking - common; thought to be important in the etiology.[50]
- Hypertension.
Microscopic
Features:[49]
- Looks like diabetic nodular glomerulosclerosis.
IF
Nonspecific.
EM
Nonspecific.
Fabry disease
General
- Rare X-linked genetic disease.
- Caused by defect in alpha-galactosidase A gene.
- Women partially affected
- Lysosomal storage disorder -- 2nd in prevalence only to Gaucher disease.
- Multisystem disease affecting small vessels and kidney.
Presentation
- Women: usually proteinuria.
- Men: angiokeratomas, proteinuria.
Tx
- Symptomatic treatment.
- Enzyme replacement - agalsidase alpha (Replagal) or agalsidase beta (Fabrazyme).
Microscopic
LM:[51]
- Foamy podocyte inclusions, best visualized with toluidine blue.
- Mild mesangial hypercellularity.
EM:[51]
- Myelin-like inclusions.
- Concentric bodies with an onion-skin-like appearance.
- Zebra bodies.
- Ovoid inclusions with striped pattern.
Note:
- Myelin-like inclusion are not pathognomonic for Fabry disease; they may result from drug use:[51]
- Amiodarone,
- Aminoglycosides,
- Chloroquine.
Myeloma
- See: Haematopathology.
- AKA myeloma kidney.
Myeloma cast nephropathy
General
- Renal failure.
Microscopic
Features:[52]
- Crap in tubules.
- Refractile.
- Cast with cellular reaction.
- Macrophages (CD68 +ve).
Image:
- Cast nephropathy in myeloma (kidneypathology.com).
- Cast nephropathy in myeloma - refractile crap (kidneypathology.com).
Stains
- Myeloma casts = PAS -ve.
- Hyaline casts = PAS +ve.
Amyloidosis
- Usually associated with lambda clone.
Light chain deposition
- Usually associated with kappa clone.
Aristolochic acid nephropathy
General
- Nephropathy due to chinese herbs for slimming.[55]
- Associated with urothelial atypia/urothelial carcinoma.
Clinical:
- Chinese herb use.
- Low-molecular weight proteinuria.
Microscopic
Features:[55]
- Extensive interstitial fibrosis.
- Tubular atrophy - typically greater in outer cortex than inner cortex.
- Glomeruli spared.
- +/-Nuclear atypia of the urothelium.
DDx:
- Balkan endemic nephropathy.
Image:
Cystic kidney diseases
These are discussed in a separate article and include:
- Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).
- Adult-onset medullary cystic disease.
- Acquired renal cystic disease.
- Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD).
- Medullary sponge kidney.
- Nephronophthisis.
- Cystic renal cell carcinoma.
Disease that does not get biopsied
Malignant hypertension
- May be seen in scleroderma.
Pyelonephritis
General
- Usually diagnosed clinically: urine C&S, urine R&M, +/-CT abdomen.
- May be associated with vesicoureteral reflux.
- Chronic pyelonephritis may be a reason for nephrectomy.[56]
Gross
Features:[57]
- +/-Necrosis of renal papillae.
Microscopic
Features:
- Interstitial nephritis.
Acute tubular necrosis
General
- Best diagnosed clinically (using urine R&M) - hemegranular casts are diagnostic.
- Often abbreviated ATN.
Microscopic
Features:[58]
- Hemegranular casts in the lumen.
- Regenerative activity (mitoses).
Hepatorenal syndrome
General
- Acute renal failure secondary to liver failure (e.g. fulminant liver failure, cirrhosis with marginal liver function).
Clinical:
- Urine sodium is low,[59] unlike in ATN (the main DDx).
Pathophysiology:
- Renal vasoconstriction.[60]
Treatment: Medical and surgical:[61]
- Vasoconstrictors (e.g. midodrine, terlipressin (counteracts splanchnic vasodilation), norepinephrine).
- Albumin.
- TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt).
- Liver transplantation.
Note:
- I suspect a portal vein pump would work... it reduces portal pressure and would likely increase hepatic function.
Microscopic
Features (kidney):
- Normal.
Renal transplant pathology
- Acute rejection.
- Chronic rejection.
- Polyomavirus.
- Transplant glomerulopathy.
- Calcineurin-inhibitor toxicity.
See also
References
- ↑ Mendelssohn DC, Barrett BJ, Brownscombe LM, et al. (August 1999). "Elevated levels of serum creatinine: recommendations for management and referral". CMAJ 161 (4): 413–7. PMC 1230545. PMID 10478168. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/161/4/413.
- ↑ URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003475.htm. Accessed on: 8 November 2010.
- ↑ URL: http://www.sydpath.stvincents.com.au/other/Conversions/ConversionMasterF3.htm. Accessed on: 8 November 2010.
- ↑ URL: http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/scales/clinical_data.html. Accessed on: 8 November 2010.
- ↑ URL: http://www.kidney.org/professionals/KLS/gfr.cfm. Accessed on: 8 November 2010.
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