Morphometric comparison of the density of the mesangial deposits in idiopathic IgA-nephropathy and Schoenlein-Henoch nephritis. An ultrastructural study.

The present investigations performed by means of image analysis system was undertaken to compare the electron-microscopic density of the mesangial deposits in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and Shoenlein-Henoch nephritis (SHN), as well as to study whether this parameter could correlate with the clinical data. The results showed, that the mean values of the deposit area per mesangial area were similar in both IgAN and HSN groups. The correlation between electron-microscopic density of the deposits and hematuria were positive in both IgAN and HSN groups, but only in IgAN patients this relationship has reached statistical significance.