[Clinical significance of urine sediment spectrum analyses in crescentic glomerulonephritis]

To explore whether the analyses of urine sediment spectrum contribute to the diagnosis of crescentic nephritis and whether special cells in urine could be a biomarker for the early stage crescentic nephritis.

Thirty-five patients diagnosed as crescentic nephritis with renal biopsy were recruited. The phase-contrast microscope was used to observe the early morning urine and offer comprehensive descriptions of urine sediment spectrum. And podocalyxin antibody was utilized to detect podocytes in urine and renal specimens by immunohistochemistry.

Marked hematuria and casts were present in the urine of crescentic nephritis and "special cells" appeared in over 50% subjects. The detection rates of "special cells" were 75%, 41% and 0 respectively in early, middle and later stages of crescentic nephritis. Podocytes were identified in the urine of 8/9 subjects.

The urine sediment spectrum contributes to the diagnosis of crescentic nephritis. And special cells in urine are helpful to gauge the stage of crescentic nephritis.