Structural changes in kidneys of patients with oliguric extracapillary glomerulonephritis during immunosuppressive therapy.

Structural changes in kidney biopsies were investigated from five patients with primary oliguric extracapillary glomerulonephritis in whom the renal function was adequately maintained during extended combined immunosuppressive treatment. The most important structural change was a pronounced decrease in the number of crescents. Reduction in numbers of crescents in the late biopsies was significantly greater than the increase in the number of hyalinized glomeruli. Tubular parenchyma showed only slight diffuse atrophy, and a moderate interstitial fibrosis was always present during the latter stages of treatment. Disappearance of crescents in the glomeruli was not accompanied by disappearance of immunoglobulins. Successfull immunosuppressive treatment of extracapillary glomerulonephritis causes the disappearance of structural characteristics of the kidney that are diagnostic for this disease.