[Renal changes by treatment with azatioprine (author's transl)]

Results of three months' treatment of 10 glomerulonephritic, 10 normal guinea pigs and of 10 normal rats with imurek (20 mg/kg/day) were as follows: 1. The morphological picture of glomerulonephritis was demonstrable even three months after treatment with imurek. 2. Predominant glomerular changes were demonstrated in both of guinea pigs and rats after treatment with imurek. These changes consisted of mesangial activation, focal glomerular necrosis and deposits of an amorphous clumped material in the mesangium. 3. In some animals, streptococci and staphylococci could be cultivated from the blood of the vena renalis and from the renal surface. The results of the present study indicates that treatment of glomerulonephritis with immunosuppressiva is not always effective. It is probable that morphological deteriorations may be caused by a direct effect of the immunosuppressiva on the renal structure.