C3 Glomerulopathy (C3G) and Immune Complex-associated Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) are kidney diseases with different causes. C3G results from problems with the alternative complement pathway, while IC-MPGN is linked to the classical complement pathway due to immune complex formation. These conditions have often been grouped as types of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) based on their appearance under a microscope, leading to confusion about their biology and treatment options.
Certain groups of patients respond better to immunosuppressive and complement-targeted therapies, and their specific characteristics can help predict treatment outcomes. Most existing studies on C3G and IC-MPGN focus on adults and are small in scale.
In this study, the research team aims to identify and characterize children with C3G and IC-MPGN in the PEDSnet database using data science and chart reviews. The long-term goal is to conduct a large study to understand the natural history of these diseases in children, compare clinical outcomes, and identify predictors of how patients respond to treatment.