The use of electron microscopy in the diagnosis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: are current pathological techniques missing important abnormalities in the glomerular basement membrane?

ABSTRACT: Background: There is an increasing appreciation that variants of the COL4A genes may be associated with the development of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). On electron microscopy, such variants may produce characteristic changes within the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). These changes may be missed if glomerular lesions histologically diagnosed as FSGS on light microscopy are not subjected to electron microscopy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of all patients presenting to two hospitals who received a primary histological diagnosis of FSGS to see if these samples underwent subsequent electron microscopy. Each such sample was also scrutinised for the presence of characteristic changes of an underlying type IV collagen disorder Results: A total of 43 pati

SUBMITTER: Davis J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6854873 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature