Novel Insights into the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment of Glomerular Diseases

Abstract

Glomerular diseases (GD) are characterized by lesions of the glomerular basement, which may be or may not be accompanied by inflammation and cellular hyperplasia. They are mainly classified as primary or secondary to a systemic disease. They are also classified as proliferative or non-proliferative diseases depending on the cellular infiltrate. Minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and thin membrane disease are non-proliferative, usually primary, glomerular diseases. Nephrotic syndrome is mainly the clinical syndrome that accompanies these GD.  Proliferative GDs comprise IgA and IgM nephropathy, and crescentic GDs with or without immunodeposits. Secondary proliferative GDs include systemic lupus erythematosous GD, vasculitides, and post-infection GDs. Non proliferative secondary GDs encompass diabetic nephropathy, amyloidosis, HIV nephropathy. Recent data on many aspects of GDs, i.e. pathogenesis and pathophysiology, diagnosis, therapy and other are briefly discussed in the present review.