[Proceedings: Evolutive forms of glomerulonephritis and their prognosis]

The prognosis in patients with glomerulonephritis can now be established with some confidence. The major advance has been the use and interpretation of renal biopsies. The different histological varieties have their own evolution and prognosis. The clinical/pathological correlations assist the physician in determining the prognosis in patients with glomerulonephritis. On the clinical side, the most important observation is the simplest: proteinuria or hematuria may persist separately for many years without alteration of renal function. However, in patients with persistent proteinuria associated with hematuria the prognosis is poor, as the evolution is towards renal failure.