title: High-dose corticosteroids: their use in treating idiopathic rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis.
abstract: To evaluate the response of patients with idiopathic rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) to high-dose corticosteroids, we have studied ten consecutive patients with this disorder. All were given 1 g of methylprednisolone intravenously each day for one week and then placed on a high-dose orally administered prednisone regimen. Four of the ten patients with idiopathic RPGN responded with a sustained reduction in the serum creatinine level of at least 50%. The patients who responded were characterized by a symptomatic illness of short duration and normal blood pressure. Renal biopsies in the responding patients showed minimal glomerular and crescentic sclerosis with mild interstitial fibrosis. The nonresponders had a long symptomatic illness with elevated initial blood pressures. The renal tissue in this group had considerable fibrosis of the crescents, glomeruli, and interstitium. The results suggest that a certain group of patients with idiopathic RPGN will improve with high-dose corticosteroid therapy.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine; D011241:Prednisone; D008775:Methylprednisolone