Immunoperoxidase autopsy study of crescentic glomerulonephritis with extracapillary proliferation

Twenty-five cases of extracapillary crescentic glomerulonephritis were examined immunohistologically. The peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method was used, the presence of immunoglobulin, complement factors and fibrin was analysed and glomerular positivity was found in all but two cases. Two types of reaction could be discerned: linear and granular, which can be considered as evidence of the pathomechanism. Surprisingly, IgG and IgM positivity was seen most frequently. The author emphasizes the importance of immunoperoxidase examination in the renal histology. This method can be easily applied in paraffin-embedded samples and gives many useful information.