Kidney nontumor / medical renal

Glomerular disease

Other primary glomerular disease

Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis



Last author update: 5 March 2012
Last staff update: 15 September 2023

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PubMed Search: Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis

Nikhil Sangle, M.D.
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Cite this page: Sangle N. Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/kidneyidiopathicnodgs.html. Accessed March 29th, 2024.
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

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Differential diagnosis of nodular glomerulosclerosis

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

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Idiopathic nodular glomerulosclerosis

Positive stains
  • CD34 highlights increased number of vascular channels within glomeruli compared with normal controls
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