A case report of nephrotic syndrome due to collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis treated with low-density lipoprotein apheresis

We herein report the case of a 73-year-old woman with steroid and cyclosporine resistant collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) whose refractory proteinuria and hypoproteinemia were controlled with low-density lipoprotein apheresis (LDL-A). She was initially treated with steroid therapy, including methylprednisolone pulse and cyclosporine therapy. However, her hypoproteinemia, accompanied with renal insufficiency, persisted despite these therapies. We treated her using LDL-A and found improvement in her urine protein excretion, hyperlipidemia, hypoproteinemia, and renal function as a result of this treatment. This suggests that LDL-A may therefore be an effective therapy for nephrotic syndrome due to collapsing FSGS.