Abstract Background and Aims Proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal immunoglobulin deposits (PGNMID) is an entity characterized by glomerular deposition of monoclonal immunoglobulins, typically IgG. Recently, a cohort of 17 patients presenting with light chain only variant of PGNMID was published. Strikingly, in this cohort, glomerular deposition of C3 was detected in all cases. We herein report a case of PGNMID with a rare presentation on the kidney biopsy. Case presentation We present the case of a 73-year-old female with a past medical history of rheumatoid arthritis and hypertension, under methotrexate 10 mg per week, prednisone 2.5 mg per day, amlodipine, nebivolol, azilsartan, and a recurrent naproxen intake. She presented with fatigue, anorexia, weight loss of about 12% of her body weight, epistaxis, oral bleeding ulcers, and lower extremities oedema. Pancytopenia, acute kidney injury (urea 150 mg/dL, creatinine 2.92 mg/dL), and nephrotic syndrome (serum albumin of 2.7 mg/dL and proteinuria of 12 g/day) were noted. Further evaluation showed an imbalance of the free light chains’ ratio with kappa light chain's level of 1250 mg/dL. Serum protein electrophoresis and immunofixation were normal. A CT scan showed numerous cervical, mediastinal, and iliac enlarged lymph nodes. Kidney biopsy showed an increase in mesangial cells and matrix and capillary walls’ thickening without nodular lesions under a light microscope. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed granular deposits of kappa light chains and no deposition IgA, IgG, IgM, C1q, C3, fibrin and lambda. Considering the previous literature, C3 was reanalyzed, with a consistent negative staining. Based on the above findings, a diagnosis of Light chain only variant of PGNMID was made. Concomitantly, evaluation of the bone marrow sample showed Small lymphocytic lymphoma. The patient was started on Bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone. Three months after proteinuria was 0.47 g/g and creatinine 1.7 mg/dL. Conclusion This case highlights the rare occurrence of a PGNMID with light chains only deposition (without C3 co-deposition) as a complication of small lymphocytic lymphoma. This contributes to the growing body of evidence surrounding this entity, with the particularity being that C3 was not detected. The authors hypothesized some pathophysiologic mechanisms to justify the absence of C3 co-deposition.
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