A 25-year-old Asian American man arrives in the emergency room in a panic. Except for a bout with bronchitis a week earlier, he has been healthy his entire life; today he has blood in his urine. What disease has likely caused of his hematuria and how should it be treated?

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Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (Buerger disease) is a primary glomerulonephritis characterized by the presence of glomerular IgA immune complex deposits. It can occur at any age, but most commonly occurs with clinical onset in the second and third decades of life. It is more common in males than in females and is the most common cause of glomerular nephritis in Asians. There is no satisfactory treatment for IgA nephropathy. Goodpasture syndrome is a form of glomerulonephritis; treatment includes plasmapheresis to remove circulating anti-GBM antibodies and immunosuppressive therapy to inhibit antibody production. Membranous glomerulonephritis is the most common cause of primary nephrosis in adults, most commonly those in their sixth or seventh decade. It is treated with corticosteroids. In nodular glomerulosclerosis, also known as Kimmelstiel-Wilson syndrome, there is nodular deposition of hyaline in the mesangial portion of the glomerulus. As the sclerotic process progresses in the diffuse and nodular forms of glomerulosclerosis in many cases, early changes in glomerular function can be reversed by careful control of blood glucose levels. Control of high blood pressure and smoking cessation are recommended as primary and secondary prevention strategies in persons with diabetes.

A 25-Year-Old Asian American Man Arrives in the Emergency Room