[Difficulties in the management of localised pulmonary Goodpasture's syndrome].
BACKGROUND
The diagnosis of the pulmonary forms of Goodpasture's syndrome is not easy and requires a renal biopsy when no anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies are detected, since the disease can lead to spontaneous massive intra-alveolar haemorrhage that can be fatal. Treatment for the pulmonary-renal form combining corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide and plasmapheresis should be applied to the pulmonary form to control haemorrhage and prevent relapse.


METHODS
We report the case of a patient suffering from the localised pulmonary form of Goodpasture's syndrome in whom the diagnosis was delayed due to a negative indirect immunofluorescent antibody bioassay. After a serious early relapse remission was achieved with comprehensive treatment and a tobacco withdrawal programme.


CONCLUSIONS
If there is no delay in diagnosis and comprehensive treatment is given, the prognosis for these patients is good with a recovery rate of 80 to 90%.
Buret
J
J
Service de Pneumologie, Hôpital Bretonneau, CHU de Tours, France.
Marcq
M
M
Lebranchu
Y
Y
Legras
A
A
Barbet
C
C
Mouteaux
G
G
Diot
P
P
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D019867:Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D016540:Smoking Cessation
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones