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We report the case of a young white male who developed the nephrotic syndrome after being stung by a wasp. A percutaneous renal biopsy was done revealing minimal change glomerulonephritis. The patient was treated with oral prednisone with resolution of proteinuria. Corticosteroids were gradually tapered, the patient did not experience a relapse, and remains in good health with normal renal function. Herein, we also include a review of the literature on wasp bite associated nephrotic syndrome in patients who underwent a renal biopsy., (Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel)

A case of idiopathic crescentic membranous glomerulonephritis is reported. In addition to the present case, eight cases of this type of glomerulonephritis reported in the literature are reviewed. This is an uncommon form of glomerulonephritis, seen in middle age and in both sexes. Clinical presentation is similar to idiopathic membranous nephropathy. Lupus and antiglomerular-basement membrane nephritis should be excluded by serological tests. Prognosis is grave, resulting in end-stage renal failure (ESRD) within a year in most patients. There is no specific therapy known to alter the course of the disease. In this patient, short courses of high-dose corticosteroids, administered during flares of glomerulonephritis, seemed to improve renal function.

We report a case of IgA nephropathy that presented with nephrotic syndrome without hematuria. Renal biopsy revealed typical features of IgA nephropathy on light microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy, and electron microscopy. A dramatic response occurred on corticosteroid and immunosuppressive therapy, characterized by clearance of proteinuria and a fall of serum IgA level to normal. The absence of hematuria and a response to therapy are distinctly unusual features of IgA nephropathy. This case represents a variant of IgA nephropathy associated with a nephrotic syndrome that resembles nephrotic syndrome with minimal change lesion in its responsiveness to immunosuppressive therapy.

We studied the renal pathologic findings and results of long-term follow-up (four to 15 years; mean 7.8 years) in nine patients with type 3 membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). We selected these patients because biopsy specimens displayed extensive glomerular, subepithelial, electron-dense deposits, besides other changes characteristic of MPGN. We compared these patients with 14 others with type 1 MPGN similarly followed up for a period of 7.4 years. Patients with type 3 MPGN were older, had hypocomplementemia less often, and enjoyed a slightly better outcome. Although six patients with type 3 MPGN had the nephrotic syndrome, end-stage renal failure developed only in two, whereas it developed in five of the 14 patients with type 1 MPGN.