Glomerulonephritis

In this paper the histologic picture of the most common disorders usually classified under the heading of glomerulonephritis will be reviewed, and the subject of angiitis will be briefly addressed. A special effort will be made to relate renal biopsy findings to the immunologically mediated pathogenetic process which is thought to be operative in each case. Where it seems appropriate, a few comments will also be made on clinical and pathological correlations. The specific entities to be covered include: diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis; focal proliferative glomerulonephritis; membranous glomerulonephritis; antibasement membrane antibody disease; rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (crescentic disease); membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis; lipoid nephrosis (nil disease); focal; segmental; and global sclerosis; polyarteritis nodosa; hypersensitivity angiitis; and Wegener granulomatosis. Few comments will be made about therapy because that subject is covered elsewhere in this issue. The review will be concluded by a discussion of the prognostic value of information gleaned from careful biopsy evaluation