A Cause of Nephrotic Syndrome Rarely Seen in Adults: IgM Nephropathy

IgM nephropathy is one of the rare causes of glomerulonephritis, characterized by a clinical picture ranging from asymptomatic urinary disorders to proteinuria severe enough to cause nephrotic syndrome, and is more frequently seen in children and adolescents. Under a light microscope, there are minor changes and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), like mesangial proliferation in various degrees. Although IgM nephropathy is considered a refractory variant of minimal change disease (MCD), there is no agreement on the treatment of IgM nephropathy, and it seems that the success of treatment with steroids is not as effective as the treatment of MCD. In this report, we will present our experience with the treatment of a case of a patient with primary IgM nephropathy with steroids and cyclosporine. In this case, edema and ascites completely disappeared, and complete remission was obtained within 2 months of treatment with a combination of prednisolone and cyclosporine. We can suggest that a combination of cyclosporine and a steroid, together with recommendations generally made in nephrotic syndrome, can be useful in the absence of contraindications for the treatment of IgM nephropathy, which is rarely seen in adults.