Rapidly progressive renal failure associated with angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia

The authors report a case of rapidly progressive renal failure associated with Castleman's disease. Renal biopsy revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis associated with marked tubulointerstitial nephritis. This kind of renal lesion has never been reported in association with angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia (Castleman's disease) or other immunoblastic disorders. The patient initially required hemodialysis therapy. However, steroid therapy was effective in treating the systemic manifestations of Castleman's disease and some renal function was recovered. The patient was finally withdrawn from hemodialysis therapy.