Dermatomyositis with membranous nephropathy.

Dermatomyositis is the connective tissue disease with the least renal involvement. Although some renal findings like proteinuria, hematuria, pyuria, progressive renal insufficiency, and glomerular and tubular calcium deposits with arteriolar fibrosis have been described, glomerulonephritides have rarely been associated with dermatomyositis, especially in childhood cases. We describe a 10-year old boy with the clinical picture of dermatomyositis who underwent renal biopsy due to microscopic hematuria demonstrating membranous glomerulonephritis with Clq deposition. Children with "full-house" membranous glomerulonephritis with deposition of Clq and the other immunoglobulins have been reported to present in the future with the clinical findings of systemic lupus erythematosus. However, laboratory evaluation of our patient for systemic lupus erythematosus was negative at the present time. Thus, we think this case should be followed up closely with special attention to the possible clinical and laboratory findings of systemic lupus erythematosus.