Retrospective study of plasma exchange in patients with idiopathic rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and vasculitis

A retrospective study of 48 patients was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of plasma exchange in children with idiopathic rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (IRPGN), and renal or non-renal vasculitis. All patients were followed up at a single centre over a 15 year period. Treatment consisted of corticosteroids and/or cytotoxic agents. Plasma exchange was used in all patients because of severe renal involvement and/or clinical deterioration. One hundred per cent of patients with renal vasculitis who started plasma exchange within one month of disease onset and 58% of cases with IRPGN had significant improvement in renal function. No relapses of vasculitis were observed after treatment with plasma exchange in patients with renal and nonrenal vasculitis. The results suggest that plasma exchange associated with immunosuppressive treatment could be of benefit in cases of IRPGN or vasculitis in terms of both renal and extrarenal recovery.