Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) is a type of kidney disease. Symptoms include facial swelling, weight gain, and an excessive need to urinate. While there’s no cure for MGN, treatment can help reduce the symptoms.
Your kidneys are made up of several structures that help remove waste from your blood and produce urine. Glomerulonephritis is a condition in which changes in your kidneys’ structure cause swelling and inflammation.
Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) is a specific type of glomerulonephritis that develops when inflammation of the kidney structures causes problems with kidney function. Other names for MGN include extramembranous glomerulonephritis, membranous nephropathy, and nephritis.
MGN can lead to complications such as:
The symptoms of MGN are different for each person, and you might not have symptoms at all. If symptoms do develop, they typically include:
- swelling of your hands, feet, or face
- fatigue or
weakness - foamy urine
- an excessive need to urinate at night
- weight gain
- blood in your urine
MGN damages your kidneys, resulting in the filtration of protein from your blood into your urine. Your body needs protein, and a lack of protein leads to water retention and swelling. All these symptoms are associated with MGN. This group of symptoms is known as
MGN can develop as a primary kidney disease, meaning another condition does not cause it. This kind of MGN has no known cause.
However, MGN can also develop as a result of other underlying health conditions. You’re more likely to
- have been exposed to toxins such as mercury
- use certain medications, such as penicillamine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or skin-lightening creams
- have an infection that affects your immune system, such as malaria, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, endocarditis, or syphilis
- have certain types of cancer, such as melanoma
- have an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or Graves’ disease
- have had a kidney or bone marrow transplant
MGN is very rare and is more common in adults. In the United States, it occurs in
If you have MGN symptoms such as swelling, your doctor may order a urinalysis, which will show whether you have protein in your urine. Your doctor might also order other tests to
- blood and urine albumin tests
- blood urea nitrogen test
- blood creatinine test
- creatinine clearance test
- lipid panel
- blood and urine protein tests
If these tests indicate the presence of MGN, your doctor might perform a kidney biopsy, during which they will take a small sample of kidney tissue. They will then send the sample to a lab for analysis. The results of this test will help confirm your diagnosis.
After diagnosing MGN, your doctor might perform additional tests to see what may be causing the condition. Examples of these tests include:
- antinuclear antibody test
- anti-double-stranded DNA test
- hepatitis B test
- hepatitis C test
- malaria test
- syphilis test
- complement test
- cryoglobulin test
There’s no cure for MGN, but there are
Your doctor might prescribe medications called corticosteroids to suppress your immune system, as well as diuretics (sometimes called water pills) to reduce swelling. MGN may put you at risk of developing blood clots, and your doctor might prescribe blood-thinning medications to reduce that risk.
In some cases, progressive disease may require immune suppression drugs. These are medications that block some part of your immune system from working as it typically would.
If an underlying condition is causing MGN, your doctor might recommend treatment for that condition as well. The specific treatment plan will be individualized for you. Talk with your doctor to find out what treatments they recommend.
The long-term outlook for MGN varies. Most people with MGN experience long periods without symptoms and then develop flare-ups. You’ll need to visit your doctor for regular checkups so they can monitor your condition. In some instances, the disease may resolve without treatment.
Among people in the United States who develop MGN,
If you have kidney failure, your doctor will prescribe dialysis, a treatment that cleans your blood when your kidneys no longer work. In some cases, you might be eligible for a kidney transplant.
Glomerulonephritis occurs when your kidneys become swollen and inflamed. When this swelling leads to other problems with kidney function, it causes a type of glomerulonephritis called membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN).
Symptoms of MGN vary from person to person but can include fatigue, foamy urine, weight gain, swelling, and blood in your urine.
While the cause of MGN is not known, factors such as toxin exposure, a history of certain cancers, and certain autoimmune conditions can increase your risk of developing it.
There’s no cure for MGN, but treatment can help manage your symptoms and suppress your immune system. You might need to change your diet. Your doctor might also recommend corticosteroids to suppress your immune system or diuretics to reduce kidney swelling by removing excess fluid from your body.
The outlook for MGN can vary. Some people find that the condition goes away without treatment. For others, regular treatment and checkups can help with symptoms. Some people might develop end stage renal disease.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of MGN, it’s important to consult a doctor for a diagnosis.