title: Rapidly progressive renal failure as the primary manifestation of Wegener's granulomatosis.
abstract: A 43-year-old woman was treated for a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with periodic renal dialysis for a period of over one year before the development of a pulmonary lesion which enabled a diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis to be made. The lung lesion cleared rapidly with azathioprine and steroid therapy; severe renal failure, however, persisted, necessitating continued hemodialysis. An early and predominant manifestation of a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in the presence of minimal, if any, upper respiratory disease, albeit rare, should be considered as a possible presentation of Wegener's granulomatosis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000209:etiology; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography