The long-term course of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.

Abstract

Clinical, pathologic, and functional observations have been made in 126 patients (89 adults and 37 children) with poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, 60 of whom were followed for 2 to 15 years. One hundred and seventy-four pathologic specimens were examined in 96 patients. Terminal uremia developed within 6 months in nine patients, in 2 years in one, and in 6 years in another. On long-term follow-up, proteinuria, hypertension, or reduction in filtration rate was seen in one half of the remainder. As glomerular proliferation subsided during the first 3 years, irregular sclerosis of glomeruli developed and was observed in two thirds of the patients during the later years. Glomerular deposition of IgG, usually in a granular pattern, was typically observed during the first year. Thereafter IgG persisted in one half and in linear deposits. This study shows that the features of chronic glomerulonephritis commonly develop in the course of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.