Integrated Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of a patient with podocyte infolding glomerulopathy: A case report

Table 1 Laboratory data before the renal biopsy

Test	Results
24-h proteinuria, mg	8730
Hemoglobin, g/L	101 (normal: 115-150)
White blood cells, × 109/L	3.06 (normal: 3.5-9.5)
Platelets, × 109/L	386 (normal: 125-350)
Cholesterol, mmol/L	6.96 (normal: 3-5.7)
Triglyceride, mmol/L	2.36 (normal: < 1.7)
Creatinine, μmol/L	67.4 (normal: 53-97)
Albumin, g/L	13 (normal: 40-55)
ANA	Negative
ANCA	Negative
Anti-double stranded DNA antibody	Negative
Rheumatoid factor	Negative
C3, mg/dL	98.4 (normal: 90-180)
C4, mg/dL	33.6 (normal: 10-40)
IgA, mg/dL	292 (normal: 70-400)
IgM, mg/dL	119 (normal: 40-230)
Anti-PLA2R antibody	Negative

ANA: Antinuclear antibodies; ANCA: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies; IgA: Immunoglobulin A; IgM: Immunoglobulin M; PLA2R: Phospholipase A2 receptor.

Table 2 Clinical profile of podocyte infolding glomerulopathy (15 cases, Case No. 26-40)

Case No.	Country of the study	Year of the study	Age (years)	Sex	Initial proteinuria (mg/day)	Hematuria	Renal function (Creatinine, μmol/L)	Blood pressure (mmHg)	Treatment	Concomitant diseases
Case 26[2]	Japan	2013	14	F	3060	1-4	48.6		PSL (40 mg/day)	First biopsy: np; Second biopsy: FSGS
Case 27[3]	Japan	2014	79	M	1426		113.2	140/67	PSL (20 mg/day)	HTN, MM
Case 28[4]	South Korea	2016	44	F			39.8	100/70	PSL (10 mg/day); ARB (15 mg/day)	SLE
Case 29[5]	India	2018	45	F	5800	20	145.9	130/80	High-dose PSL, MMF, 1 g of rituximab	UCTD
Case 30[6]	China	2018	52	F						pSS, HT
Case 31[7]	Germany	2019	56	F		35 U/L	386.3		High dose Pred, rituximab (1 g × 2 )	RA
Case 32[8]	China	2019	27	F	629		168.0		PSL (48 mg/day), HCQ (0.2 g twice a day)	pSS, HT
Case 33[8]	China	2019	23	F	16796.8	+	46.9		PSL (40 mg/day), HCQ (0.2 g twice a day) tacrolimus (1 mg twice a day)	SLE
Case 34[9]	Argentina	2020	38	F						SLE
Case 35[10]	China	2020	4	M	3670				Given the resistance to steroids and tacrolimus, only treated him with diuretics and (ACEIs)	SIOD, hypothyroidism
Case 36[11]	China	2020	33	F	2124	-	36.2		ARB, Radix Astragali and Huangkui	UCTD
Case 37[12]	Japan	2020	35	F						pSS, scleroderma
Case 38[13]	United States	2021	60	F	2286		61.9		Rituximab (1 g × 3)	PLA2R antibody(+)
Case 39[14]	Canada	2021	52	F		11-20	111.4	158/97	ARB (300 mg/day); spironolactone (25 mg/day); Pred (1 mg/kg)	HBcAb(+); HBsAb(+)
Case 40[15]	China	2021	61	F	2060	19	75.1		ARB (100 mg/day), HCQ (100 mg twice a day), PSL (40 mg/day), CTX (600 mg/month)	SLE, HTN

ACEIs: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; ARB: Angiotensin II receptor blocker; CTX: Cyclophosphamide; F: Female; FSGS: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis; HCQ: Hydroxychloroquine; HT: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis; HTN: Hypertension; M: Male; MM: Multiple myeloma; MMF: Mycophenolate mofetil; pSS: Primary Sjögren’s syndrome; PLA2R: Phospholipase A2 receptor; Pred: Prednisone; PSL: Prednisolone; RA: Rheumatoid arthritis; SIOD: Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia; SLE: Systemic lupus erythematosus; UCTD: Undifferentiated connective tissue disease.