In this article, we will discuss Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis (RPGN). So, let’s get started.
Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis
It is a clinical correlate of nephritic syndrome but is of subacute onset characterized by development of renal failure over days to weeks, in association with a nephritic urinary sediments, subnephrotic proteinuria, oliguria, hypovolemia, edema and hypertension. The classic pathologic finding is severe extracapillary proliferation leading to crescents formation in more than 50% of glomeruli (crescentic glomerulonephritis). In practice, the clinical term rapidly progressive (proliferative) glomerulonephritis and the pathological term crescentic glomerulonephritis are interchangeably used.
The association of acute nephritic syndrome with hemoptysis (Goodpasture’s syndrome), antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) small vessel vasculitis, SLE or cryoglobulinemia is called pulmonary-renal syndrome.