[Recurrent alveolar hemorrhage in the course of Goodpasture's syndrome]

We describe the case of 24-years old man, smoking up to 60 cigarettes daily, with rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis in the course of Goodpasture's syndrome. The disease was initially presented with recurrent diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage with normal renal function and moderate proteinuria and haematuria on urinalysis lasting 2 months. Immunologic tests for ANCA and anti-GBM Ab were negative until the patient's renal function rapidly deteriorated during next 3 weeks. At the time of the diagnosis patient presented with renal insufficiency with oliguria requiring hemodialysis but without pulmonary hemorrhage. Renal biopsy showed cellular crescents in all glomeruli with linear deposition of IgG along the GBM. Repeated testing showed anti-GBM Ab. The patient received pulse cyclophosphamide, and pulse methylprednisolone continued by oral prednisone, and consecutive plasma exchange treatment but remained oliguric after 3 weeks of the treatment. The case confirm that in Goodpasture's syndrome even several days' delay in diagnosis and treatment has a strongly negative impact on outcome.