Membranous Glomerulonephritis

Abstract

The course of membranous glomerulonephritis has been studied in 38 patients. The nephrotic syndrome was the presenting feature in 35 patients and developed later in 2. Six progressed to terminal renal failure in 3 to 11 years. Of the 32 others, 18 developed renal insufficiency. The nephrotic syndrome persisted in 20 of these 32 patients; remissions occurred in 11, 9 spontaneously and 2 with corticoid therapy. Remissions were sustained up to 9 years in 8 patients. Persistence of the nephrotic syndrome beyond 3 years was associated with progression of the capillary wall lesion to stages III or IV or the development of advanced renal failure. Remissions of the nephrotic syndrome occurred only in stages I or II and were occasionally associated with regression of the basement membrane lesion. In no instance did a patient in remission have progression of the glomerular lesion.