Evaluation of Membranous Nephropathy Diagnostic and Management Approach

Abstract

Membranous nephropathy is one of the most common causes of nondiabetic adults' nephrotic syndrome. It accounts for up to 30% of nephrotic syndrome cases in Caucasian adults. It can manifest as a primary or secondary disease, but primary is considered more common. The disease has a waxing and waning clinical course and indolent progress, and immunosuppressive treatment is deemed the mainstay therapy for promoting remission. Although there has been advancement in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease, it still requires further research. We aimed to review the literature to promote the understanding of membranous nephropathy. We reviewed the literature for membranous nephropathy; pathogenesis, etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. Articles were chosen from the PubMed database, and selected studies were subjected to a thorough review. Membranous nephropathy is one of the most common causes of nephrotic syndrome in nondiabetic adults. The clinical course of this disease is waxing and waning and has indolent progression. Despite the improvement in diagnostic approaches and treatment options, it remains an active field for diagnostic and pharmacological research.