IgM nephropathy associated with penicillamine

In this report we describe the development of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome with an IgM nephropathy in a 53-year-old patient undergoing treatment for active rheumatoid arthritis with D-penicillamine. The use of D-penicillamine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is known to be complicated by the development of various glomerulonephritides. However, in this report we describe for the first time the development of IgM glomerular alterations consistent with a nephropathy in a patient undergoing D-penicillamine therapy.