Assessment of the effect of mesangial hypercellularity in childhood nephropathies to the clinical and laboratory findings

Abstract

Aim: To assess the relationship between mesangial hypercellularity in various childhood nephropathies and clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods and patients: The reports of the renal biopsies were evaluated retrospectively. The patients with diagnosis of IgA nephropathy (isolated and Henoch–Schönlein nephritis), IgM nephropathy, or isolated mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis were included. Each nephropathy group was divided into two subgroups according to the severity of mesangial hypercellularity as mild and severe. The biochemical data and histopathological findings of the patients were recorded. Results: When the groups were compared, it was found that the patients with IgA nephropathy had hematuria (p = 0.043) and the patients with IgM nephropathy had nephrotic syndrome more frequently than the other patients (p = 0.01). No difference was detected between the groups regarding the severity of mesangial hypercellularity. On the other hand, when the groups were evaluated within themselves, no significant association was detected between the severity of mesangial hypercellularity and clinical and laboratory parameters. It was determined that the renal biopsy was performed earlier in patients with Henoch–Schönlein nephritis compared to the other cases (p = 0.004). Compared to the isolated IgA nephropathy group, it was found that the number of cases with severe mesangial hypercellularity was higher and the level of proteinuria was more prominent in patients with Henoch–Schönlein nephritis. Additionally, when the patients with Henoch–Schönlein nephritis were evaluated, the degree of proteinuria was found to be higher in patients with severe mesangial hypercellularity compared to those of showing mild mesangial hypercellularity (p = 0.002). Conclusion: It was observed that there is no direct relation between the severity of mesangial hypercellularity and clinical and laboratory findings in various childhood nephropathies. However, when Henoch–Schönlein nephritis is compared with IgA nephropathy, it was found that the severity of mesangial hypercellularity was higher in cases with Henoch–Schönlein nephritis and the level of proteinuria was more prominent in those cases. However, no difference was detected in glomerular filtration rates and biochemical data with regard to the level of mesangial hypercellularity.