Nephrotic syndrome due to immunologically mediated hypocomplementic glomerulonephritis in a patient of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

A 72-year-old man was diagnosed as having nephritic syndrome complicated by Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). A monoclonal IgM lambda protein and decreased serum complements were observed. The renal biopsy disclosed the capillary occluded by thrombi which was stained with IgG, IgA, IgM, C4, lambda light chain and slight kappa light chain in a granular pattern. Electron dense deposits were noted in the subendothelial spaces. An unusual case of WM who developed nephrotic syndrome due to immunologically mediated hypocomplementic glomerulonephritis is described. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel