Immunopathologic studies in glomerular diseases with membranous lesions.

Clinical and immunopathologic studies on 57 patients who had glomerular diseases with membrane lesions were reviewed. Of these, 39 were considered to have idiopathic lesions, nine had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and six had diabetes mellitus. Membranous lesions occurred in two patients with allografts and in one individual with renal vein thrombosis. In 34 of the 39 idiopathic lesions, granular deposits (immune complexes) of either IgG or the BIC component of complement, or both, were identified. Linear deposition was observed in one case. Four showed no deposits and in three of these, significant improvement in proteinuria occurred. The immunofluorescent deposits were classified as focal or diffuse, but this reflected neither degree of initial proteinuria nor prognosis. All nine patients with SLE and membranous lesions had granular deposits. As a group these individuals appeared to fare better clinically than those with idiopathic lesions. Membranous glomerular lesions with immunofluorescent deposits also occurred in patients with allografts, diabetes mellitus, and renal vein thrombosis. IN 1950, Bell3 introduced the