Retrospective study of plasma exchange in patients with idiopathic rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and vasculitis.

Abstract

A retrospective study of 48 patients was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of plasma exchange in children with idiopathic rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (IRPGN), and renal or non-renal vasculitis. All patients were followed up at a single centre over a 15 year period. Treatment consisted of corticosteroids and/or cytotoxic agents. Plasma exchange was used in all patients because of severe renal involvement and/or clinical deterioration. One hundred per cent of patients with renal vasculitis who started plasma exchange within one month of disease onset and 58% of cases with IRPGN had significant improvement in renal function. No relapses of vasculitis were observed after treatment with plasma exchange in patients with renal and non-renal vasculitis. The results suggest that plasma exchange associated with immunosuppressive treatment could be of benefit in cases of IRPGN or vasculitis in terms of both renal and extrarenal recovery.

• Authors: A Gianviti, R S Trompeter, T M Barratt, M F Lythgoe, M J Dillon
• Journal: Archives of disease in childhood (Arch Dis Child) Vol. 75 Issue 3 Pg. 186-90 (Sep 1996) ISSN: 1468-2044 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 8976654 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Biopsy
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Glomerulonephritis (complications, pathology, therapy)
• Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (complications, therapy)
• Humans
• IgA Vasculitis (complications, therapy)
• Infant
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic (complications, therapy)
• Male
• Plasma Exchange
• Polyarteritis Nodosa (complications, therapy)
• Retrospective Studies
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Vasculitis (complications, therapy)