[The prognosis in primary chronic glomerulonephritis in the adult. 298 clinicopathological cases (author's transl)].

The study involved 298 cases of chronic glomerulonephritis (GN) in adults. The results of renal biopsy were used to classify the patients into four groups: Membranous GN, 81 cases; focal glomerulo sclerosis, 80 cases; Membrano-proliferative GN, 62 cases; GN with mesangial deposits of IgA, 75 cases. The patients were observed over a period ranging from 1 month to 36 years. The average period of surveillance for each category was between 4 and 6 years. The course in each histological type was assessed on the basis of actuarial tates of renal death, of moderate renal insufficiency (plasma creatinine greater than 1.5 mg%( and of hypertension. Renal survival at 10 years was was arounds 90% for membranous GN. 85% for GN with mesangial deposits of IgA, 70% for focal glomerulo sclerosis and 50% for membrano-proliferative GN. The prognosis should be based upon a combination of histological and clinical findings. Severity of prolonged nephrotic syndrome, regardless of the histological type of the nephropathy, is worthy of emphasis. In the group fo focal glomerulo sclerosis, prognosis differs greatly in relation to the presence or absence of a nephrotic syndrome. Complete remission may be seen in the group of focal glomerulo sclerosis, and in membrano-proliferative GN despite the persistence or worsening of histological lesions seen on repeated biopsies.