Membranous nephropathy with predominance of C1q: another variant of C1q nephropathy?

Abstract

Originally described as a proliferative glomerulonephritis, C1q nephropathy is nowadays mostly recognized as a variant of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis or minimal change disease. We describe a 30-year-old male patient with nephrotic range proteinuria. Kidney biopsy demonstrated a membranous nephropathy with predominant staining for C1q. Under conservative therapy the outcome was favorable. We suggest that this case represents another variant of C1q nephropathy, thus broadening the spectrum of the disease.