genitourinary disorders
Membranous Nephropathy
Etiology of Membranous Nephropathy
Membranous nephropathy is usually idiopathic, but it may be secondary to any of the following: Medications (eg, gold therapy,penicillamine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs]) Infections (eg, hepatitis B or C virus infection, syphilis, HIV infection) Autoimmune disorders (eg, systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]) Thyroiditis Cancer Parasitic diseases (eg, malaria, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis) Depending on the patient’s age, 4 to 20% have an underlying cancer, including solid cancers of the Overview of Lung Tumors , Membranous nephropathy is rare in children and, when it occurs, is usually due to hepatitis B virus infection, SLE, or autoimmune thyroid disease. Renal Vein Thrombosis is more frequent in membranous nephropathy and is usually asymptomatic but may manifest with flank pain, hematuria, and hypertension. It may progress to pulmonary embolism. 