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Membranous glomerulopathy in a patient on captopril
Acta Medica Scandinavica
|January 1, 1980
Summary
Captopril, a medication for high blood pressure, can cause nephrotic syndrome in some patients. This condition involves kidney damage, but symptoms often resolve after discontinuing the drug.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Essential hypertension is a common condition requiring pharmacologic management.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, such as captopril, are frequently prescribed for hypertension.
Observation:
- A patient with essential hypertension developed nephrotic syndrome after seven months of captopril treatment.
- Renal biopsy revealed stage I membranous glomerulopathy.
Findings:
- Urinary protein loss resolved within ten days of discontinuing captopril.
- Follow-up renal biopsy showed persistent IgA, IgG, IgM, and C3 deposition in the glomerular basement membrane.
- Electron microscopy confirmed unchanged subepithelial electron-dense deposits.
- Glomerular filtration rate remained normal throughout the observation period.
Implications:
- Captopril can induce nephrotic syndrome, specifically membranous glomerulopathy.
- Kidney biopsy is crucial for diagnosing drug-induced kidney injury.
- While proteinuria may resolve, underlying immune deposits can persist despite drug withdrawal.