[Unilateral diffuse pulmonary involvement in vasculitis with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and...

A previously healthy 51-year-old man, hospitalized because of fatigue and joint complaints, was found to have left-sided diffuse pulmonary infiltration and a rapid rise in creatinine concentration. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (cANCA) and anti-glomerular basement antibodies (anti-GBM) were found in serum. Renal biopsy revealed extracapillary glomerulonephritis with diffuse half-moon formations. Immunohistology showed a diffuse granular pattern for immunoglobulin G, M and complement C3, without linear deposits. Immunosuppressive treatment combined with plasmapheresis brought about rapid clinical improvement and normalization of the lung involvement and renal function, as well as a fall in the cANCA titre. During a follow-up period of 5 years there has been no recurrence of symptoms, although the anti-GBM titre remained strongly positive and the cANCA titre twice rose to abnormal levels.