GENERAL

Thin glomerular basement membrane disease (TMBD), also known as benign familial hematuria and thin basement membrane nephropathy, is the thinning of the basement membrane of the glomeruli in the kidneys. As the glomerular basement membrane is thin it will sometimes break and cause blood to appear in the urine (hematuria). However it seems to repair without any ill effect, as thin GBM disease almost never causes serious trouble. The condition often runs in families, and can be a cause of benign familial hematuria.