Aldona Wozniak(1), Elzbieta Bortkiewicz(2), Wieslawa Salwa-Zurawska(1), Elzbieta Kaczmarek(3), Janusz Maciejewski(2)

The Application of Electron Microscopic Morphometry as a Helpful Method in the Diagnosis of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) Early Phase. II. Clinical Usefulness of Electron Microscopic Morphometric Studies in Cases of Minimal Change Disease (MCD) and Mesangioproliferative Glomerulonephritis (GNMES) with Suspicion of Progression into Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)

1) Department of Clinical Pathomorphology,
2) Department of Pediatrics,
3) Department of Informatics and Medical Statistics, K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Poznan

Abstract

Clinical and morphological analysis, (including morphometric studies of electron microscopic material) was made in 15 children with MCD and 15 children with GNMES. In both groups, an early phase of FSGS was suspected on the basis of electron microscopic studies. Moreover, analysis included the results obtained in 13 children with the diagnosis of FSGS and in whom repeated biopsies were performed. In most of them, MCD or GNMES was diagnosed from the first biopsy. In most children in whom electron microscopic studies revealed an increase in matrix area in some mesangial regions, thereby suggesting an early stage of glomerular sclerosis, the results of morphometric studies resembled or were identical to the results obtained from a control group with the established diagnosis of FSGS. These findings indicate that morphometric studies of electron microscopic material are significant. The results, when compared with the clinical data, confirm the usefulness of such a diagnostic procedure.