Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is a term used to describe a rapid loss of renal function associated with the formation of epithelial crescents in the majority of glomeruli.
Causes
Goodpasture’s syndrome
Wegener’s granulomatosis
others: SLE, microscopic polyarteritis
Features
nephritic syndrome: haematuria with red cell casts, proteinuria, hypertension, oliguria
features specific to underlying cause (e.g. haemoptysis with Goodpasture’s, vasculitic rash or sinusitis with Wegener’s)
