skip to main content

IgG4 Renal Disease — SCE Rheumatology MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardConnective Tissue DiseaseIgG4 Renal DiseaseSCE Rheumatology

A 50-year-old woman with IgG4-related disease affecting the pancreas and salivary glands develops renal impairment. CT shows bilateral renal enlargement. What renal manifestation of IgG4-RD should be suspected?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: ARetroperitoneal fibrosis causing bilateral ureteric obstruction and hydronephrosis

The best answer is “Retroperitoneal fibrosis causing bilateral ureteric obstruction and hydronephrosis”. IgG4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis is the most common renal manifestation of IgG4-RD. It presents with renal impairment bilateral renal enlargement on imaging and may mimic lymphoma or renal infiltrative disease. Histology shows the typical IgG4-RD pattern: dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate storiform fibrosis and elevated IgG4/IgG ratio. Other renal manifestations include membranous nephropathy and retroperitoneal fibrosis causing ureteric obstruction. Treatment involves glucocorticoids (high response rate) with Rituximab for relapsing disease. Serum IgG4 levels correlate with disease activity and guide treatment monitoring. The competing options represent related diagnoses, tests or treatments, but they do not match the decisive phenotype, safety constraint or management point in this stem.

Reference: International IgG4-related disease pathology consensus: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3434018/