Goodpasture's-like syndrome and effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenator support

A 49-year-old man was admitted because of general fatigue, cough and hematuria. During the hospital course, acute renal failure, hemoptysis and dyspnea developed. A percutaneous renal biopsy revealed a diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis, and direct immunofluorescence showed a linear pattern of IgG along the glomerular basement membrane. Although serum anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibody was not detected. Goodpasture's-like syndrome was suspected, and methylprednisolone pulse therapy and plasmapheresis were administered. Concomitantly, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was instituted because of deterioration in respiratory status due to a severe pulmonary hemorrhage despite maximal ventilatory support. Temporarily, the patient improved and ECMO was discontinued. ECMO may be a useful therapeutic support for hypoxia resulting from pulmonary hemorrhage in Goodpasture's syndrome (GPS) and Goodpasture's-like syndrome.