[Changing of clinical symptoms in glomerulonephritis (author's transl)]

76 children with glomerulonephritis (biopsy diagnosed) were studied for evidence of preceeding streptococcal infection, morphological and clinical symptoms. Glomerulonephritis often shows minimal symptoms; only 11% had acute, but 80% subclinical symptoms. Heading symptom was hematuria (95%), in 55% there was additional proteinuria. No correlation could be found between the clinical symptoms and glomerular lesions. Antistreptolysin 0 titers were elevated in only 39% of the children, but in all with acute clinical symptoms. The aetiology of glomerulonephritis in the remainder is uncertain, probably virus infections. The reason for decreased nephritis and increased subclinical nephritis is due to penicillin therapy and the improved renal diagnosis (renal biopsy).