[A clinicopathological study of patients with immune complex type and pauci immune type rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis].

We made clinicopathological studies of twelve patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) treated at our department of Okayama University Medical School Hospital for the last eight years. By immunofluorescence microscopy, seven cases were immune complex (IC) type and five were pauci immune type. By light microscopy, the mean percentage of glomeruli with crescents was seventy five, and cellular and fibro-cellular crescents were dominant in eleven cases. Combined therapy including methylprednisolone pulse or oral steroid was effective in eleven. Hemodialysis was performed in four patients with severe uremia and three of them recovered from hemodialysis. Two cases of RPGN associated with systemic lupus erythematosus died of cerebral hemorrhage. We conclude that IC type and pauci immune type RPGN have good prognosis when treated at their active stage with intensive combined therapy and with hemodialysis if necessary.