Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease: A clinicomorphological study of 16 cases

Antiglomerular basement membrane disease manifests as rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and alveolar hemorrhage. It encompasses 10-15% of crescentic glomerulonephritis and is associated with poor outcome. In this study, we have elaborated on the clinical details, morphological features, and outcome of anti-GBM glomerulonephritis.

All the consecutive biopsy-proven cases of anti-GBM glomerulonephritis over a period of 4½ years were analyzed, retrospectively.

Sixteen cases were diagnosed as anti-GBM glomerulonephritis during the study period. Twelve patients presented with rapidly progressive renal failure of which four patients required hemodialysis at the time of presentation. Goodpasture's syndrome was noted in two patients. Thirteen cases were positive for circulating anti-GBM antibodies and two patients showed double positivity for both anti-GBM antibodies and ANCA. Fifteen biopsies revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis with linear deposition of IgG along the glomerular basement membrane in all the 16 cases.

Renal biopsy analysis is important in the diagnosis of Anti GBM nephritis. Morphology is an important predictor of disease progression.