Yu Tianhang, Ye Qiao, Luo Fang
Department of Rheumatology, The Second Affiliate Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China.
Int J Rheum Dis. 2025 Feb;28(2):e70133. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.70133.
Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease with fibrosis that affects multiple organs, while symptomatic peripheral nerve invasion is very rare. Here we present a Chinese male aged 77 years with peripheral neuropathy, membranous nephropathy, and interstitial lung disease diagnosed with IgG4-RD. The patient exhibited elevated levels of IgG4 and IgG4/IgG ratios in the blood. A chest computed tomography (CT) showed interstitial pneumonia in both lungs and multiple mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Additionally, electromyography shows neurogenic lesions in both lower extremities and axonal lesions involving motor nerves. Biopsies of the kidney showed membranous nephropathy with numerous IgG4-positive plasma cells. Patients treated with cyclophosphamide and high-dose methylprednisolone showed improvement in neuropathy, proteinuria, and interpulmonary severity. This case demonstrates the unusual presentation of IgG4-RD where peripheral neuropathy is the main feature with multisystem involvement but without mass lesions. It underscores the varied clinical manifestations of this disease.
免疫球蛋白G4相关疾病(IgG4-RD)是一种伴有纤维化的慢性、进行性炎症性疾病,可累及多个器官,而有症状的外周神经侵犯非常罕见。在此,我们报告一例77岁的中国男性患者,诊断为IgG4-RD,伴有周围神经病变、膜性肾病和间质性肺病。患者血液中IgG4水平及IgG4/IgG比值升高。胸部计算机断层扫描(CT)显示双肺间质性肺炎及多发纵隔淋巴结肿大。此外,肌电图显示双下肢神经源性损害及累及运动神经的轴索性损害。肾脏活检显示膜性肾病伴大量IgG4阳性浆细胞。接受环磷酰胺和大剂量甲泼尼龙治疗的患者,其神经病变、蛋白尿及肺部严重程度均有改善。该病例展示了IgG4-RD不寻常的表现,即以周围神经病变为主要特征,伴有多系统受累但无肿块性病变。这凸显了该疾病多样的临床表现。