Acute Wegener's granulomatosis.

Two cases of acute Wegener's granulomatosis are described. The first ended fatally after an illness of only two weeks. In the second a remission of three years has been obtained with heavy doses of steroid. At present there is evidence of impaired pulmonary gas transfer and also chronic glomerulonephritis, but the patient is asymptomatic. When the disease presents with pulmonary cavitation it may be confused with pulmonary neoplasm, tuberculosis, or lung abscess, and the diagnosis is made by biopsy. The Rose-Waaler was strongly positive in the case tested.