Characteristics of membranous glomerulonephritis
Jovanović, D.; Skatarić, V.; Kovacević, Z.; Marić, M.; Romanović, R.
Vojnosanitetski Pregled 54(4): 327-332
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-8450 PMID: 9441501 Document Number: 481452
The diagnosis of primary glomerulonephritis was made in 20 patients from January 1990 to December 1995. They were followed-up up to 5 years. Various therapeutic modalities were applied: 12 patients were treated with pronison per os, in 5 patients (42%) the disease remission was achieved, the other 5 (42%) patients had frequent recurrences of nephrotic syndrome, while 2 patients (16%) were with renal failure. In 7 patients at the beginning of treatment "pulse" methil prednisolone of 500 mg/48 h and 200 mg/48 h of cyclophosphamide was administered per os. Remission was achieved in 5 (71%) patients, and renal failure developed in 1 patient. Four patients, refractery to previous therapy, were treated with cyclosporin A and remission was achieved in 1 patient with proteinuria less than 2 g/d. The other patient had relapses of nephrotic syndrome, and renal failure has developed in the other two patients. Corticosteroids are drugs of choice in the treatment of lighter forms of MGN. In case of resistence to corticosteroid therapy or the progression of renal failure, cyclophosphamide should be included in the therapy, but in the patient refracte to this treatment, therapy with cyclosporin A should be attempted.