Medullary sponge kidney with IgA nephropathy: a case report and literature review

TL;DR

A 27-year-old woman was diagnosed with a rare combination of medullary sponge kidney and IgA nephropathy, and treatment with corticosteroids and ARBs reduced her symptoms.

Contribution

This is the first reported case of medullary sponge kidney coexisting with IgA nephropathy.

Findings

The patient had both medullary sponge kidney and IgA nephropathy confirmed by kidney biopsy.

Treatment with corticosteroids and ARBs significantly reduced proteinuria.

The case highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis to avoid misdiagnosis in renal conditions.

Abstract

Medullary sponge kidney (MSK)is rare in association with glomerulonephritis. We report a patient with medullary sponge kidney, and the kidney biopsy revealed a diagnosis of IgA nephropathy.

A 27-year-old female presented with hematuria and proteinuria, and imaging studies indicated the presence of medullary spongy kidney. With appropriate preparation, a kidney biopsy was performed. Considering the patient’s clinical and pathological characteristics, the final diagnosis was determined to be medullary sponge kidney associated by IgA nephropathy. The combination of corticosteroids and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) proved to be significantly effective in reducing proteinuria in the current case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case that demonstrates the coexistence of MSK and IgA nephropathy.

Administering precise therapy based on renal pathology can potentially enhance outcomes for patients with renal conditions, necessitating the need for clinicians to be vigilant about differential diagnosis in order to reduce the rates of missed diagnoses and misdiagnosis.

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