Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Poststreptococcal Glomerulonephritis in Elderly Patients

Lee, Dong Won; Kim, Yong Beom; Lee, Soo Bong; Kwak, Ihm Soo; Rha, Ha Youn

Abstract

PURPOSE: Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis(PSGN) is a disease that affects primarily children, and is caused by immune complex-mediated injury after streptococcal infection. The retrospective study was carried out to characterize the clinicopathologic features of PSGN in elderly patients. METHODS: The twenty five patients were enrolled; who had been diagnosed as PSGN clinically and pathologically from 1995 to 1999 in Pusan National University Hospital. They were divided up into 2 groups according to age; younger group being 16 to 29 years old(n=16) and elderly group being 30 years or older(n=9). The age-related characteristics were analyzed by the paired T-test RESULTS: Renal functional impairments and decreased GFR were developed more frequently in elderly group. The pathological severity was more advanced in elderly group. But there was no difference in BUN, serum creatinine, serum albumin, 24-hour urine total protein, ASO, C3, IgG, IgA, IgM. CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with PSGN had a high incidence of renal functional impairment. Early recognition of PSGN in elderly patients with nephrotic syndromes or nephritis, thought to be the key role to improve the renal function.