[Treatment of glomerulonephritis with heparin (author's transl)].

32 patients with different histologically proven forms of glomerulonephritis were treated with heparin for an average of 31 days. A dosage of heparin was chosen, which allowed an increase in thrombin time to 20-40 seconds. Histological findings alone do not allow any prediction concerning the therapeutic success of heparin treatment in glomerulonephritis. According to our results and comparable information given in the literature, the following therapeutic scheme can be recommended: Best results are seen in patients with a slow decrease of GFR (i.e. less than 30 ml/min) during the year preceding the beginning of the treatment. In rapid progredient glomerulonephritis, however, as in patients without any changes of GFR during this time, predictions as to the course of illness cannot be made. A high level of fibrin split products in serum may be expected to be the most valuable sign of therapeutic effect, as could be documented in 7 out of 8 successfully treated patients. Hypertension and proteinuria were not influenced by the treatment. Because of severe side effects the heparin treatment of glomerulonephritis should not be initiated in patients with severe hypertension.