{ "schemaVersion": 2, "eyebrow": "Nephrology", "title": "Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis", "summary": "Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis requires urgent confirmation of glomerular injury, parallel serologic classification, kidney biopsy, and cause-specific therapy before potentially irreversible crescentic injury progresses to kidney failure or pulmonary hemorrhage.", "seoDescription": "Point-of-care approach to rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis: urgent workup, biopsy patterns, ANCA, anti-GBM, immune-complex disease, and treatment.", "clinicalQuestion": "How should physicians urgently classify and treat rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis while preserving kidney and pulmonary function?", "specialty": "Nephrology", "audience": "U.S. physicians and medical trainees", "tags": [ "rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis", "crescentic glomerulonephritis", "ANCA-associated vasculitis", "anti-GBM disease", "pulmonary-renal syndrome", "kidney biopsy", "plasma exchange" ], "keyTakeaways": [ "Treat RPGN as a nephrologic emergency: rapidly declining kidney function with hematuria, proteinuria, and active urinary sediment should prompt urgent nephrology involvement, serologies, and kidney biopsy. [4][17]", "Send ANCA and anti-GBM antibodies immediately; their detection is the strongest laboratory predictor of pauci-immune and anti-GBM crescentic glomerulonephritis, respectively. [15]", "Kidney biopsy with light microscopy, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy separates pauci-immune, linear anti-GBM, and immune-complex injury patterns and directs therapy. [3][15][24]", "For organ-threatening ANCA-associated vasculitis, use glucocorticoids plus rituximab or cyclophosphamide; combined rituximab-cyclophosphamide therapy is reserved for the most severe disease, including rapidly progressive GN. [18]", "Anti-GBM disease generally requires immediate plasma exchange plus glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide; daily exchange is commonly continued until antibodies are suppressed or for approximately 14 days. [20][22][23]", "Do not attribute acute hematuria, proteinuria, or abrupt creatinine rise to diabetic nephropathy without evaluating for superimposed glomerular or tubulointerstitial disease; biopsy series found an additional renal diagnosis in 47.2% of such cases. [2]" ], "sections": [ { "id": "urgent-triage", "eyebrow": "Immediate actions", "heading": "Recognize the pulmonary-kidney emergency and stabilize first", "intro": "Initiate diagnostic and therapeutic pathways in parallel when active glomerular injury accompanies rapid kidney-function loss.", "paragraphs": [ "RPGN is a clinical syndrome of rapidly declining glomerular filtration over days to months, typically with hematuria, red-cell casts, and clinically significant proteinuria; untreated crescentic injury can progress to kidney failure within weeks to months. [4][12] Obtain serial serum creatinine, electrolytes, bicarbonate, complete blood count, urinalysis with sediment examination, and quantitative proteinuria at presentation to document trajectory and identify urgent complications of kidney failure.", "Immediately assess for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage when hemoptysis, new hypoxemia, unexplained anemia, or pulmonary infiltrates accompany nephritic urine sediment. Anti-GBM disease affects glomerular and pulmonary capillaries and presents with pulmonary hemorrhage in approximately 50% of cases. [20] Concurrent pulmonary involvement increases urgency for anti-GBM and ANCA testing and supports early disease-directed treatment rather than waiting for a fully completed outpatient evaluation. [15][20]", "Exclude reversible mimics of acute kidney injury and hematuria while pursuing RPGN. Differential diagnoses specifically include reversible acute kidney injury, proteinuria, and hematuria from non-RPGN causes; thrombotic microangiopathy and acute interstitial nephritis can also enter the clinical RPGN differential. [14][17] In a patient with diabetes, abrupt renal decline, increased proteinuria, hematuria, or red-cell casts should trigger consideration of kidney biopsy because superimposed primary glomerular disease, acute tubular injury, and acute interstitial nephritis are frequent biopsy findings. [2]" ], "bullets": [ "Obtain nephrology consultation urgently for rapid creatinine rise plus glomerular hematuria, red-cell casts, substantial proteinuria, oliguria, or anuria. [4][17]", "Draw ANCA and anti-GBM antibodies before plasma exchange when feasible, but do not delay urgent treatment for life-threatening pulmonary hemorrhage or severe suspected anti-GBM disease. [15][20][22]", "Evaluate for active infection before immunosuppression; infection-related RPGN may require treatment directed at bacteremia, endocarditis, hepatitis C, or another identified infection rather than primary vasculitis therapy alone. [10][14]" ], "subsections": [], "table": { "caption": "Immediate features that should accelerate classification and treatment in suspected RPGN. [4][15][20]", "columns": [ "Finding", "Interpretation", "Next action" ], "rows": [ [ "Rapid creatinine rise with hematuria, red-cell casts, and proteinuria", "Syndrome consistent with RPGN/crescentic GN. [4][17]", "Send ANCA, anti-GBM antibody, complement studies, and proceed to urgent kidney biopsy when feasible. [15][24]" ], [ "Hemoptysis, hypoxemia, anemia, or pulmonary infiltrates", "Consider alveolar hemorrhage from anti-GBM disease or ANCA-associated vasculitis. [20][15]", "Assess respiratory severity and expedite nephrology-directed immunosuppression and plasma-exchange decisions. [20][22]" ], [ "Bacteremia, endocarditis, hepatitis C, or other active infection", "Immune-complex, infection-related crescentic GN can mimic primary vasculitis; low complement and immune staining support this branch. [10][3]", "Obtain kidney biopsy and treat the underlying infection; individualize glucocorticoid use to renal trajectory and infection control. [10]" ] ] } }, { "id": "parallel-workup", "eyebrow": "Diagnostic pathway", "heading": "Classify serologically and confirm with kidney biopsy", "intro": "The practical objective is to identify anti-GBM, pauci-immune, immune-complex, or mixed disease before irreversible chronic damage predominates.", "paragraphs": [ "Order ANCA and anti-GBM antibody testing concurrently in all patients with suspected RPGN. ANCA and anti-GBM seropositivity are the best laboratory predictors of pauci-immune crescentic GN and anti-GBM crescentic GN, respectively. [15] Also obtain antinuclear antibody, anti-double-stranded DNA antibody, complement C3 and C4, serum protein electrophoresis, cryoglobulins, and infection-directed testing when the history or examination suggests lupus nephritis, cryoglobulinemia, monoclonal immunoglobulin-associated disease, or infection-related GN. [3][10][14]", "Perform kidney biopsy urgently when clinically feasible, including light microscopy, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. RPGN is classified by deposit distribution into anti-GBM disease, immune-complex GN, and pauci-immune GN; immunofluorescence is central to inferring etiology. [3][24] Crescents establish severe glomerular injury but do not independently define the immunologic cause, because infection-related GN, lupus nephritis, IgA nephropathy, ANCA-associated vasculitis, and anti-GBM disease can each produce crescentic GN. [3][14]", "Interpret chronicity alongside activity. Pauci-immune crescentic GN is most often due to ANCA-associated vasculitis, although ANCA-negative pauci-immune disease occurs. [13][15] In anti-GBM GN, more than 95% of biopsies show crescents and approximately 85% show crescents in at least half of glomeruli. [15] A biopsy dominated by extensive chronic scarring indicates limited probability of renal recovery and should inform the balance between aggressive immunosuppression toxicity and anticipated benefit, particularly in dialysis-dependent anti-GBM disease. [20]" ], "bullets": [ "Pauci-immune pattern: absent or scant glomerular immunoglobulin staining; approximately 80% is associated with ANCA. [15]", "Anti-GBM pattern: linear IgG deposition along the glomerular basement membrane with circulating anti-GBM antibodies when detectable. [20]", "Immune-complex pattern: granular immune deposits; major etiologic branches include infection-related GN, IgA nephropathy, lupus nephritis, cryoglobulinemic GN, C3 glomerulopathy, and monoclonal immunoglobulin-associated GN. [3][24]", "Dual ANCA/anti-GBM positivity: treat the acute renal presentation as anti-GBM disease with plasma exchange, while planning prolonged immunosuppression and relapse surveillance consistent with ANCA-associated disease behavior. [17][22]" ], "subsections": [], "table": { "caption": "Biopsy-serology framework for cause-directed management of crescentic GN. [3][15][20][24]", "columns": [ "Etiologic branch", "Key serology or pathology", "Clinical implications" ], "rows": [ [ "ANCA-associated pauci-immune GN", "ANCA positive; little or no glomerular immunoglobulin staining on immunofluorescence. [15]", "Evaluate for systemic small-vessel vasculitis; approximately three-fourths have systemic vasculitic manifestations. [15]" ], [ "Anti-GBM disease", "Anti-GBM antibodies and/or linear IgG along the GBM. [20]", "Assess immediately for pulmonary hemorrhage and initiate plasma exchange with immunosuppression unless contraindications or irreversible chronic damage outweigh benefit. [20][22]" ], [ "Immune-complex GN", "Granular immune deposits; complement, autoimmune, infection, cryoglobulin, and monoclonal-protein evaluation guides cause assignment. [3][10]", "Treat the underlying driver; lupus nephritis, infection-related GN, IgA nephropathy, and cryoglobulinemic GN require different therapy. [3][14]" ], [ "Dual-positive disease", "Both ANCA and anti-GBM antibodies. [6][17]", "Use plasma exchange and prolonged immunosuppression with long-term relapse monitoring. [17][22]" ] ] } }, { "id": "anaca-treatment", "eyebrow": "Pauci-immune disease", "heading": "Treat ANCA-associated RPGN as organ-threatening vasculitis", "intro": "Induction therapy must suppress active necrotizing glomerular injury while limiting infection and cumulative glucocorticoid toxicity.", "paragraphs": [ "For new-onset organ-threatening ANCA-associated vasculitis, use rituximab or cyclophosphamide in combination with glucocorticoids for remission induction. [18] Rituximab is particularly favored in relapsing disease, PR3-ANCA-positive disease, and when fertility preservation is important; cyclophosphamide may be preferred when clinicians require faster disease control. [18][21] For the most severe presentations, including RPGN, combined rituximab and cyclophosphamide is an accepted escalation approach. [18]", "Historical RPGN guidance supports glucocorticoids plus either daily oral cyclophosphamide at 25-100 mg/day or intravenous cyclophosphamide at 250-750 mg/m2 monthly, adjusted for clinical grade, age, and dialysis requirement. [14][19] Do not use these historical dose ranges as a substitute for current patient-specific vasculitis protocols; renal impairment, age, cytopenias, infection risk, and reproductive goals determine selection and dosing.", "Plasma exchange in ANCA-associated RPGN is selectively considered for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage or advanced kidney failure. A guideline threshold for advanced renal involvement is serum creatinine greater than 5.8 mg/dL. [19] This differs from anti-GBM disease, in which plasma exchange is a core component of initial treatment. [20][24] Reassess the indication after biopsy and serologies because infection-related immune-complex GN can be ANCA positive and may be worsened by indiscriminate immunosuppression. [10]" ], "bullets": [ "Use rituximab rather than azathioprine for maintenance when relapse risk is high, especially with PR3-ANCA positivity. [18]", "In MAINRITSAN, rituximab maintenance at 500 mg intravenously on days 0 and 14 and at months 6, 12, and 18 produced fewer major relapses than daily azathioprine at 28 months: 5% versus 29%. [18]", "Monitor closely for infection during induction; in ANCA-associated vasculitis treated with cyclophosphamide and high-dose glucocorticoids, 1-year mortality is approximately 15%, chiefly from active vasculitis and infection. [21]" ], "subsections": [], "table": { "caption": "Treatment selection in ANCA-associated RPGN. [18][19][21]", "columns": [ "Clinical setting", "Preferred induction consideration", "Plasma exchange role" ], "rows": [ [ "New organ-threatening AAV", "Glucocorticoids plus rituximab or cyclophosphamide. [18]", "Not routine solely for ANCA positivity; consider with advanced kidney failure or diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. [19]" ], [ "Relapsing or PR3-ANCA-positive AAV", "Rituximab is preferred when relapse risk is high. [18]", "Use selective criteria based on pulmonary hemorrhage or severe renal presentation. [19]" ], [ "Severe RPGN needing rapid control", "Cyclophosphamide may have faster onset; rituximab plus cyclophosphamide may be used in the most severe disease. [18][21]", "Consider when serum creatinine exceeds 5.8 mg/dL or diffuse alveolar hemorrhage is present. [19]" ] ] } }, { "id": "anti-gbm-treatment", "eyebrow": "Linear IgG disease", "heading": "Start anti-GBM therapy without delay", "intro": "Anti-GBM disease is the crescentic GN subtype in which prompt antibody removal is most central to initial management.", "paragraphs": [ "Treat anti-GBM disease with plasma exchange plus glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide. The combination has substantially improved outcomes compared with historical untreated disease, particularly among patients who are not dialysis dependent at presentation. [20] Kidney biopsy showing linear IgG deposition and/or circulating anti-GBM antibodies establishes the therapeutic pathway. [20]", "A commonly described plasma-exchange strategy is daily 4-L exchanges for 2-4 weeks, generally using 5% albumin replacement; add fresh frozen plasma when pulmonary hemorrhage is present or invasive procedures are planned. [22] Continue daily exchange until anti-GBM antibody levels are suppressed or for 14 days, with extension for persistent active pulmonary disease or inadequate antibody decline. [22] Pediatric guidance similarly describes daily 60 mL/kg replacement for 14 days or until anti-GBM antibodies become undetectable. [23]", "Dialysis dependence at presentation predicts a lower likelihood of renal recovery, so treatment decisions should integrate pulmonary involvement, biopsy chronicity, comorbidity, and contraindications to cyclophosphamide. [20] This prognostic limitation should not obscure potentially lifesaving treatment for active pulmonary hemorrhage. In contrast to single-positive anti-GBM disease, dual-positive ANCA/anti-GBM disease can relapse and requires longer immunosuppression and long-term follow-up. [17][22]" ], "bullets": [ "Do not use rituximab as routine first-line anti-GBM therapy; evidence remains limited, although it may be considered when cyclophosphamide is contraindicated, as adjunctive therapy in severe disease, or to reduce cumulative cyclophosphamide exposure. [20]", "If rituximab is used with plasma exchange, account for its removal by the procedure when scheduling treatment. [20]", "For kidney transplantation after anti-GBM disease, defer transplantation for at least 6 months after anti-GBM antibodies become undetectable to reduce recurrence risk. [23]" ], "subsections": [], "table": { "caption": "Practical anti-GBM treatment decisions. [20][22][23]", "columns": [ "Decision point", "Action", "Rationale" ], "rows": [ [ "Confirmed or strongly suspected anti-GBM RPGN", "Begin plasma exchange with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide. [20][22]", "Removes circulating antibodies while suppressing further antibody production. [22]" ], [ "Pulmonary hemorrhage or planned invasive procedure", "Use fresh frozen plasma in addition to albumin as replacement when indicated. [22]", "Addresses coagulation-factor replacement needs during exchange. [22]" ], [ "Dialysis-dependent presentation", "Use biopsy chronicity, pulmonary disease, and treatment risk to individualize immunosuppression. [20]", "Renal recovery is less likely, but pulmonary disease may still justify aggressive therapy. [20]" ], [ "Dual ANCA/anti-GBM positivity", "Include plasma exchange and plan prolonged immunosuppression with relapse monitoring. [17][22]", "Renal disease resembles anti-GBM disease, whereas relapse risk resembles AAV. [17][22]" ] ] } }, { "id": "immune-complex-branches", "eyebrow": "Immune-complex disease", "heading": "Identify the driver before treating immune-complex crescentic GN", "intro": "Granular immune deposition is a pathologic pattern, not a treatment diagnosis.", "paragraphs": [ "Immune-complex RPGN includes infection-related GN, IgA nephropathy, lupus nephritis, cryoglobulinemic GN, and related complement- or monoclonal immunoglobulin-associated disorders. [3][24] Use the clinical setting and targeted serologies to assign the cause: active infection favors infection-related GN; antinuclear antibody and anti-double-stranded DNA testing support lupus; cryoglobulin testing and hepatitis C assessment address cryoglobulinemic disease; and serum protein electrophoresis helps evaluate a monoclonal immunoglobulin-associated process. [3][10][14]", "When diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis presents as RPGN, initial treatment is corticosteroids plus cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil. [14][19] Plasma exchange is not routine for lupus nephritis but may be added when standard corticosteroid-immunosuppressive therapy is insufficient. [19] Biopsy remains necessary to establish the relevant proliferative lesion and distinguish lupus-associated immune-complex injury from coincident ANCA, anti-GBM, infection-related, or thrombotic processes. [3][14]", "In suspected infection-related RPGN, actively search for and treat the source rather than reflexively classifying a positive ANCA result as primary AAV. In one infection-related case with MRSA bacteremia, hepatitis C, low C3/C4, and atypical p-ANCA, biopsy showed necrotizing crescentic GN with mesangial immunoglobulin and strong C3 staining; management prioritized infection treatment, with glucocorticoids added because renal injury and proteinuria progressed. [10] This illustrates why biopsy and infection assessment should precede broad immunosuppression whenever the patient is stable enough for that sequence." ], "bullets": [ "Low complement with granular immune staining should redirect evaluation toward infection-related, lupus, cryoglobulinemic, or complement-mediated disease rather than isolated pauci-immune AAV. [3][10]", "An MPGN injury pattern is etiologically nonspecific: chronic hepatitis C, alternative-complement abnormalities, lupus, infection, and cryoglobulinemia may produce overlapping patterns. [3]", "C3 glomerulopathy is confirmed by kidney biopsy and includes dense deposit disease and C3 GN subtypes. [16]" ], "subsections": [], "table": { "caption": "Cause-directed branches within immune-complex RPGN. [3][10][14][19]", "columns": [ "Suspected cause", "Tests and biopsy clues", "Initial disease-directed action" ], "rows": [ [ "Diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis", "ANA, anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies, complement testing, and kidney biopsy. [14]", "Corticosteroids plus cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil. [14][19]" ], [ "Infection-related GN", "Blood cultures or focused infection evaluation; low complement and granular immune/C3 staining may support the diagnosis. [10]", "Treat the infection; individualize glucocorticoids only when renal progression warrants added immunomodulation. [10]" ], [ "Cryoglobulinemic or hepatitis C-associated GN", "Cryoglobulins and hepatitis C testing; immune-complex pattern may overlap with MPGN. [3][10]", "Treat the identified underlying cause and use biopsy to define the active glomerular lesion. [3][10]" ], [ "C3 glomerulopathy", "Kidney biopsy confirms C3 glomerulopathy and distinguishes C3 GN from dense deposit disease. [16]", "Assess for acquired or genetic complement dysregulation and manage as complement-mediated disease. [16]" ] ] } }, { "id": "monitoring-prognosis", "eyebrow": "Follow-up", "heading": "Use renal trajectory, serology, and treatment toxicity to guide ongoing care", "intro": "Monitoring should detect irreversible renal decline, pulmonary recurrence, relapse, and complications of intensive immunosuppression.", "paragraphs": [ "Track serum creatinine, urine sediment, quantitative proteinuria, blood pressure, and dialysis requirement through induction because persistent decline may reflect ongoing active necrotizing injury, delayed response, or irreversible chronicity. Repeat kidney biopsy can be useful when the clinical course and suspected disease activity diverge, although its utility is context dependent. [1] In anti-GBM disease, follow circulating antibody decline during plasma exchange to determine whether to continue beyond the usual treatment course. [22][23]", "Monitor for infection throughout high-dose glucocorticoid and cyclophosphamide- or rituximab-based treatment. Infection remains a leading cause of death in RPGN cohorts, and ANCA-associated vasculitis carries approximately 15% mortality at 1 year in reports of cyclophosphamide plus high-dose glucocorticoid treatment. [14][21] New fever, pulmonary findings, cytopenias, or hemodynamic instability require reassessment for infection before escalating immunosuppression.", "Long-term strategy differs by cause. Single-positive anti-GBM disease is usually monophasic and generally does not require routine long-term maintenance immunosuppression after successful initial treatment, whereas dual-positive disease requires prolonged immunosuppression and relapse surveillance because recurrence is not uncommon. [23][22] In AAV, rituximab is an effective maintenance option and reduced major relapse compared with azathioprine in MAINRITSAN. [18]" ], "bullets": [ "Recheck anti-GBM antibody levels during plasma exchange and continue daily therapy until suppression, usually around 14 days, unless active pulmonary disease or persistent antibodies justify extension. [22][23]", "Use maintenance rituximab preferentially in AAV patients at high relapse risk, particularly those with PR3-ANCA positivity. [18]", "Before kidney transplantation after anti-GBM disease, require at least 6 months of undetectable anti-GBM antibodies. [23]" ], "subsections": [], "table": { "caption": "Monitoring priorities after initial RPGN classification. [18][22][23]", "columns": [ "Disease category", "Key monitoring target", "Management consequence" ], "rows": [ [ "Anti-GBM disease", "Anti-GBM antibody trend, renal recovery, pulmonary activity, and biopsy chronicity. [20][22]", "Continue or extend plasma exchange for persistent antibody activity or pulmonary disease; individualize therapy if dialysis dependent. [20][22]" ], [ "ANCA-associated GN", "Renal trajectory, vasculitis activity, infection, and relapse risk. [18][21]", "Transition to remission maintenance, with rituximab favored for high-relapse-risk patients. [18]" ], [ "Dual-positive disease", "Anti-GBM antibody clearance plus longer-term vasculitis relapse surveillance. [17][22]", "Maintain prolonged immunosuppression and do not assume a monophasic course. [17][22]" ], [ "Immune-complex GN", "Response of kidney function and proteinuria to treatment of infection, lupus, hepatitis C, or other driver. [3][10][14]", "Reassess the underlying cause and biopsy interpretation before escalating immunosuppression. [3][10]" ] ] } } ], "faq": [ { "question": "Can ANCA positivity alone establish ANCA-associated RPGN?", "answer": "No. ANCA is a strong predictor of pauci-immune crescentic GN, but active infection can produce atypical ANCA positivity; kidney biopsy and clinical context are needed to distinguish primary AAV from infection-related immune-complex GN. [15][10]" }, { "question": "When should dual-positive ANCA and anti-GBM disease be managed differently from isolated anti-GBM disease?", "answer": "Use plasma exchange during the acute presentation as for anti-GBM disease, but continue longer immunosuppression and relapse monitoring because dual-positive disease can have ANCA-associated vasculitis behavior and recurrent disease. 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Verify recommendations against current guidance and patient-specific factors.", "citations": [ { "number": 1, "title": "585.full.txt", "detail": "ard.bmj.com", "url": "https://ard.bmj.com/content/82/5/585.full.txt", "authors": "ard.bmj.com", "host": "ard.bmj.com", "snippet": "by A Kronbichler · 2023 · Cited by 45 — ... rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, characterised by a rapid deterioration of kidney function.25 ... 62 The utility of repeat kidney biopsies to evaluate", "score": 0.6599319 }, { "number": 2, "title": "Kidney", "detail": "www.nature.com", "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/labinvest201327.pdf", "authors": "www.nature.com", "host": "www.nature.com", "snippet": "Results: Clinical indications for biopsy included: acute or rapidly progressive renal failure and/or, increased proteinuria and/or hematuria with or without RBC casts. A second renal condition was found in 47.2% of cases in addition to DN. Of the 47.2%, primary glomerular disease was the most common", "score": 0.5835125 }, { "number": 3, "title": "Acute glomerulonephritis - ScienceDirect", "detail": "www.sciencedirect.com", "url": "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673622004615", "authors": "www.sciencedirect.com", "host": "www.sciencedirect.com", "snippet": "Acute presentation with full blown nephritic syndrome or rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is uncommon and is mainly restricted to patients with post-infectious glomerulonephritis, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated vasculitis, and anti-glomerular basement membrane disease. All g", "score": 0.86954874 }, { "number": 4, "title": "Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics", "detail": "www.sciencedirect.com", "url": "https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/rapidly-progressive-glomerulonephritis", "authors": "www.sciencedirect.com", "host": "www.sciencedirect.com", "snippet": "Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is defined as a clinical syndrome characterized by a rapid decline in glomerular filtration rate over days to months, accompanied by haematuria, red cell casts, and significant proteinuria, often leading to end-stage renal failure if untreated. For patie", "score": 0.8446273 }, { "number": 5, "title": "Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis due to... : Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation", "detail": "journals.lww.com", "url": "https://journals.lww.com/sjkd/fulltext/2017/28060/rapidly_progressive_glomerulonephritis_due_to.21.aspx", "authors": "journals.lww.com", "host": "journals.lww.com", "snippet": "Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis due to Anti-glomerular Basement Membrane Disease Accompanied by IgA Nephropathy. Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by circulating IgG antibodies (rarely IgA and IgM) to the carboxyterminal, nonc", "score": 0.7724109 }, { "number": 6, "title": "Sequential development of anti-GBM nephritis and ANCA-associated pauci-immune glomerulonephritis - ScienceDirect", "detail": "www.sciencedirect.com", "url": "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272638699703665", "authors": "www.sciencedirect.com", "host": "www.sciencedirect.com", "snippet": "Title: Sequential development of anti-GBM nephritis and ANCA-associated pauci-immune glomerulonephritis - ScienceDirect\n# Case Report Sequential development of anti-GBM nephritis and ANCA-associated pauci-immune glomerulonephritis. On the first occasion, a diagnosis of anti-glomerular basement membr", "score": 0.75852895 }, { "number": 7, "title": "Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis - an overview", "detail": "www.sciencedirect.com", "url": "https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/rapidly-progressive-glomerulonephritis", "authors": "www.sciencedirect.com", "host": "www.sciencedirect.com", "snippet": "Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is characterized by acute renal failure, azotemia, hypertension, proteinuria, and hematuria. The urinary sediment can reveal red blood cell and white blood cell casts, cellular debris, and pigmented casts. RPGN is generally classified into: (1) antiglome", "score": 0.72207695 }, { "number": 8, "title": "POSTER PRESENTATION : Indian Journal of Nephrology", "detail": "journals.lww.com", "url": "https://journals.lww.com/ijon/fulltext/2022/32001/poster_presentation.2.aspx", "authors": "journals.lww.com", "host": "journals.lww.com", "snippet": "BACKGROUND: A 25-year-old primipara at 34 week of gestation presented with complain of oliguria and mild pedal edema. Pt was normotensive routine urine examination showing field full of RBCs diagnosed as rapid progressive glomerulonephritis. ANA ANCA was negative C3 C4 within normal limit anti-GBM t", "score": 0.7185356 }, { "number": 9, "title": "Medicine®", "detail": "journals.lww.com", "url": "https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/_layouts/15/oaks.journals/downloadpdf.aspx?an=00005792-201812280-00043", "authors": "journals.lww.com", "host": "journals.lww.com", "snippet": "Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is a clinical syndrome characterized by progressive loss of renal function over a short period of", "score": 0.6826801 }, { "number": 10, "title": "Infection-Related Rapidly Progressive Crescentic... : Journal of the American Society of Nephrology", "detail": "journals.lww.com", "url": "https://journals.lww.com/jasn/fulltext/10.1681/asn.20233411s1601c~infection-related-rapidly-progressive-crescentic", "authors": "journals.lww.com", "host": "journals.lww.com", "snippet": "The biopsy was consistent with a necrotizing, crescentic glomerulonephritis with mild interstitial fibrosis. The atypical P-ANCA seropositivity was thought to be due active hepatitis C infection. In the context of MRSA bacteremia, active hepatitis C infection, and chronically inactive hepatitis B in", "score": 0.5942929 }, { "number": 11, "title": "Novel biomarkers of crescentic glomerulonephritis identified ...", "detail": "academic.oup.com", "url": "https://academic.oup.com/ckj/article/18/11/sfaf280/8300384", "authors": "academic.oup.com", "host": "academic.oup.com", "snippet": "Crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN) is a rapidly progressive renal disease requiring timely diagnosis and treatment.", "score": 0.6612456 }, { "number": 12, "title": "What is new in the management of rapidly progressive ...", "detail": "academic.oup.com", "url": "https://academic.oup.com/ckj/article/8/2/143/470800", "authors": "academic.oup.com", "host": "academic.oup.com", "snippet": "by GHB Greenhall · 2015 · Cited by 81 — Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) results from severe crescentic damage to glomeruli and leads to irreversible kidney failure if not.", "score": 0.64773196 }, { "number": 13, "title": "Kidney biopsy chronicity grading in antineutrophil cytoplasmic ...", "detail": "academic.oup.com", "url": "https://academic.oup.com/ndt/article/37/9/1710/6358145", "authors": "academic.oup.com", "host": "academic.oup.com", "snippet": "by M Casal Moura · 2022 · Cited by 74 — The most common cause of rapidly progressive GN that presents on kidney biopsy as a pauci-immune necrotizing crescentic GN is AAV-GN, with negative or few", "score": 0.62330866 }, { "number": 14, "title": "Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis 2014 - PMC", "detail": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4891375", "authors": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "host": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "snippet": "In clinical practice, RPGN encompasses a wide range of renal diseases such as ANCA-positive RPGN, anti-GBM antibody RPGN, proliferative lupus nephritis, IgA nephropathy, and forms of immune complex RPGN such as purpura nephritis, as well as infection-associated RPGN, acute interstitial nephritis, an", "score": 0.85157084 }, { "number": 15, "title": "Rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis", "detail": "www.kidney-international.org", "url": "https://www.kidney-international.org/article/S0085-2538(15)48992-6/fulltext", "authors": "www.kidney-international.org", "host": "www.kidney-international.org", "snippet": ". Unlike immune-complex glomerulonephritis and anti-GBM glomerulonephritis, pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis by definition has an absence or paucity of glomerular staining for immunoglobulins448992-6/fulltext#). . In approximately 80% of patients, pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis", "score": 0.77873385 }, { "number": 16, "title": "Iptacopan for treating complement 3 glomerulopathy", "detail": "www.nice.org.uk", "url": "https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta1102/documents/1", "authors": "www.nice.org.uk", "host": "www.nice.org.uk", "snippet": "1 1 Iptacopan for treating complement 3 glomerulopathy Technology appraisal committee D, 13 August 2025 Chair: Dr Megan John Lead team: Dr. Bernard Khoo, Paul Caulfield, Prof. Sofia Dias External assessment group: Kleijnen Systematic Reviews (KSR) Technical team: Sammy Shaw, Nigel Gumbleton, Christi", "score": 0.15330847 }, { "number": 17, "title": "Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis - StatPearls - NCBI", "detail": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557430", "authors": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "host": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "snippet": "Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is a challenging clinical condition characterized by a rapid decline in kidney function and complex histopathological features. Distinctive clinical and pathological signs of the syndrome include an accelerated loss of renal function over a short period, unusua", "score": 0.78532547 }, { "number": 18, "title": "The Use of Rituximab in Glomerulonephritis: What Is the Evidence?", "detail": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12467946", "authors": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "host": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "snippet": "More recently, the combined use of rituximab and avacopan (a C5a receptor inhibitor) has demonstrated significant glucocorticoid sparing in the induction management of AAV .\n\nAs to maintenance, the effectiveness of rituximab for maintaining remission in AAV is particularly compelling. In the MAINRIT", "score": 0.72698855 }, { "number": 19, "title": "Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis 2014", "detail": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4891375", "authors": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "host": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "snippet": "ANCA-positive RPGN ANCA is thought to be involved in the clinical conditions of ANCA-associated vasculitis and RPGN. The removal of ANCA may therefore result in controlling disease activity and preventing organ damage. The addition of plasmapheresis to the initial therapy with corticosteroids and cy", "score": 0.70944256 }, { "number": 20, "title": "Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease—treatment standard", "detail": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12722177", "authors": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "host": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "snippet": "adverse events, mostly of minor severity. However, evidence for use of rituximab in anti-GBM disease remains relatively limited and at risk of publication bias. While rituximab may rapidly deplete circulating CD20+ B cells, it will not affect other cell types that contribute to disease (e.g. T cells", "score": 0.66203266 }, { "number": 21, "title": "Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf", "detail": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557827", "authors": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "host": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "snippet": "Rituximab Versus Cyclophosphamide\n\nAccording to the RAVE and RITUXIVAS trials, rituximab was found to be non-inferior to daily cyclophosphamide for the induction of remission in ANCA-associated vasculitis, with a potential advantage in relapsing disease. Notably, cyclophosphamide is considered to ha", "score": 0.5925965 }, { "number": 22, "title": "Goodpasture Syndrome - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf", "detail": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459291", "authors": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "host": "www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "snippet": "The dose of plasmapheresis is 4 L of an exchange over 2 to 4 weeks. Typically, 5% albumin is the replacement fluid, but fresh frozen plasma (0.3-2 L) should be administered in cases of invasive procedures or when pulmonary hemorrhage is also noted. Plasmapheresis typically continues daily until anti", "score": 0.5501488 }, { "number": 23, "title": "Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in children", "detail": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8899892", "authors": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "host": "pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov", "snippet": "Algorithm 1\nImage 15: Algorithm 1\n\nOpen in a new tab\n\nTreatment of Crescentic /Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis\n\n## Standard Approach:\n\nA combination of high dose glucocorticoids and either CYC or RTX and therapeutic plasma exchange are included in the initial treatment for remission inductio", "score": 0.5372119 }, { "number": 24, "title": "Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis - ScienceDirect", "detail": "www.sciencedirect.com", "url": "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949813924001460", "authors": "www.sciencedirect.com", "host": "www.sciencedirect.com", "snippet": "RPGN is classified into 3 main types based on immune deposit distribution and visualization through immunofluorescence and electron microscopy: antiglomerular basement membrane disease, immune complex glomerulonephritis, and pauci-immune glomerulonephritis. Standard treatment options for RPGN includ", "score": 0.7152057 } ], "publishedAt": "2026-08-24T16:30:29.200369+00:00", "updatedAt": "2026-08-24T16:30:29.200369+00:00", "readingMinutes": 8, "slug": "rapidly-progressive-glomerulonephritis" }