Pulmonary-renal syndrome, diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage and glomerulonephritis, associated with Wegener's granulomatosis effectively treated with early plasma exchange therapy.

Abstract

We present a case of a 38-year-old Japanese man with Wegener's granulomatosis complicated with pulmonary-renal syndrome, i.e., diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage and rapidly progressive renal glomerulonephritis. As this is a life-threatening condition, we promptly initiated plasma exchange with intravenous methylprednisolone therapy. Diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage and renal failure were markedly improved. This case merits presentation because there are few clinical studies of the treatment of Wegener's granulomatosis with pulmonary-renal syndrome, particularly with pulmonary hemorrhage.

• Authors: Toshiro Sugimoto, Naoko Deji, Shinji Kume, Norihisa Osawa, Masayoshi Sakaguchi, Keiji Isshiki, Daisuke Koya, Atsunori Kashiwagi
• Journal: Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) (Intern Med) Vol. 46 Issue 1 Pg. 49-53 ( 2007) ISSN: 1349-7235 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 17202734 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Glucocorticoids
• Methylprednisolone

Topics

• Adult
• Glomerulonephritis (diagnosis, etiology, therapy)
• Glucocorticoids (therapeutic use)
• Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (complications, diagnosis, therapy)
• Hemorrhage (diagnosis, etiology, therapy)
• Humans
• Lung Diseases (diagnosis, etiology, therapy)
• Male
• Methylprednisolone (therapeutic use)
• Plasma Exchange (methods)
• Syndrome