A Rare Cause of Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis: Dental Technician's Pneumoconiosis

Dental technician's pneumoconiosis is a complex pneumoconiosis that is the result of the combined effects of hard metal dusts (chromium and cobalt) and silica particles 1 . We present a patient with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with dental technician’s pnemoconiosis. A 38-year-old female who had been working as a dental technician for 10 years, was admitted to our hospital because of renal impairment. She had a 2-year-history of hypertension. She had no history of smoking. Non steroid antiinflamatory drug and antibiotic were given to her because of upper respiratory system infection for 2 weeks ago. Physical examination was normal. The laboratory investigations were presented in table 1. The serum C3 complement levels were lower and the serum C4 complement levels were normal. Antinuclear antibody, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, antistreptolysin O, antiglomerular basement membrane antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen and antihepatitis C antibody were all negative. No evidence of a monoclonal spike on serum or urine protein electrophoresis. The kidneys measured 9 cm in lenght by ultrasound but no evidence of obstruction. A renal biopsy was performed to ascertain the etiology of acute renal failure. The renal biopsy was revealed cresent formation in 3 of 12 glomerulus and proliferation of mesangial and endocapillary cells in others. The interstitium was markedly infiltrated by abundant neutrophils, expecially eosinophil neutrophils. Immunofluorescence microscopy was positive for C3 in glomerul, mesengium and bowman space.