Kidney nontumor / medical renal
Glomerular disease
Other primary glomerular disease
Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis
Author: Nikhil Sangle, M.D.
Last author update: 5 March 2012
Last staff update: 15 September 2023
Copyright: 2002-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Differential diagnosis | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Positive stainsCite this page: Sangle N. Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/kidneyidiopathicnodgs.html. Accessed September 26th, 2023.
Definition / general
- Resembles nodular diabetic glomerulosclerosis (Kimmelstiel-Wilson changes) but in nondiabetic patients
- Mean age 68 years, 74% white and 78% men (Hum Pathol 2002;33:826)
- Typically presents with renal insufficiency (83%, mean serum creatinine of 2.4 mg/dL), proteinuria > 3 g/day (70%) and nephrotic syndrome (22%)
- Associated with hypertension (96%), smoking (91%, mean 53 pack years), hypercholesterolemia (90%) and extrarenal vascular disease (44%, Hum Pathol 2002;33:826); also increased body mass index / overweight (Hum Pathol 2008;39:1771)
- A diagnosis of exclusion
- Poor prognostic factors for end stage renal disease: continued smoking, lack of angiotensin II blockage and degree of arteriosclerosis
Differential diagnosis
Images hosted on other servers:
Differential diagnosis of nodular glomerulosclerosis
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Prominent diffuse and nodular mesangial sclerosis, glomerular basement membrane thickening, arteriosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis
- Also neovascularization of glomeruli
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis
Positive stains
- CD34 highlights increased number of vascular channels within glomeruli compared with normal controls
