HISTOPATHOLOGY OF KIDNEY IN TOXAEMIA . SERIAL RENAL BIOPSIES DURING PREGNANCY PUERPERIUM AND SEVERAL YEARS POSTPARTUM - LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC AND IMMUNOFLUORESCENT STUDIES

Light and electron microscopic studies were carried out on 47 renal biopsies from 38 women with eclampsia and pre-eclampsia: (1) in the final months of pregnancy; (2) 1 hour to 1 month following delivery; and, (3) over an extended period up to 4 years postpartum. No distinction could be made between renal morphological alterations in eclamptic and pre-eclamptic patients. The most prominent lesions were found in the first days of the puerperium. In all the patients glomerular lesions varying in degree and distribution were observed months and even years following toxaemia. In addition, immunofluorescent studies were performed on 16 specimens using various antisera labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate. Positive reactions were observed with antihuman 7 S globulin and antihuman fibrinogen antisera. Our findings have shown that renal lesions of toxaemia do not completely regress even after periods of up to 4 years. The immunofluorescent results were too limited for drawing definitive conclusions. © 1968 Springer-Verlag.