Case Report

False Positive Hepatitis A IgM in Membranous Nephropathy: A Treatment Dilemma

Volume: 47 Number: 2 June 21, 2025
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False Positive Hepatitis A IgM in Membranous Nephropathy: A Treatment Dilemma

Abstract

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a primary cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults, often linked to antibodies against M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R). Immunosuppressive therapy, such as rituximab and calcineurin inhibitors, is utilized for high-risk patients. This case report discusses a 74-year-old female with anti-PLA2R-positive MN, whose treatment was delayed due to a false-positive hepatitis A virus (HAV)-IgM result. Despite asymptomatic presentation and normal liver function, concerns about potential viral reactivation complicated clinical decisions. After a month of monitoring, immunosuppressive treatment was initiated, and the patient’s proteinuria achieved remission. This case underscores the importance of thorough evaluation of serological results, especially in cases where viral markers could influence critical treatment decisions. The risk of delaying MN treatment must be balanced against the potential dangers of initiating therapy under uncertain viral infection status.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Availability of data and material: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval: In this case report, ethical committee approval was not required; therefore, it was not obtained.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Health Services and Systems (Other)

Journal Section

Case Report

Authors

Publication Date

June 21, 2025

Submission Date

March 21, 2025

Acceptance Date

May 16, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 47 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7197/cmj.1662807

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA37SK87SJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex
AMA
1.Cetin TE, Karataş A, Telli Dizman G, Akçay ÖF, Helvacı Ö. False Positive Hepatitis A IgM in Membranous Nephropathy: A Treatment Dilemma. CMJ. 2025;47(2):45-47. doi:10.7197/cmj.1662807