[Pneumonia associated acute glomerulonephritis: a review of 6 cases]

Abstract

Introduction: There is an association between pneumonia and acute glomerulonephritis. Both processes start simultaneously.

Patients and methods: A retrospective study of 6 patients admitted to our centre between 2001 and 2010 with acute glomeruolonephritis associated with pneumonia. The result of the smear and tonsil culture was negative and there was an absence of cutaneous infection.

Results: The average age of the patients on admission was 5.9 years with no differences in sex. The diagnosis for pneumonia was made at the time of admission, coinciding with the glomerular symptoms. The most frequent symptoms were fever and macrohaematuria. All had low levels of C3. A significant increase in ASLO was found in 5 cases. The majority of the cases had mild symptoms with the exception of one case of acute renal failure with an initial creatinine of 2.77mg/dL and glomerular filtration rate of 27ml/min/1.73m(2), and two cases with proteinuria in the nephrotic range. All of them progressed satisfactorily without treatment or with minimum diuretic or hypotensive treatment in addition to the appropriate antibiotic treatment with clinical resolution in 7 to 10 days, and C3 returning to normal within a period of less than 4 months.

Conclusions: There is an association between acute glomerulonephritis and pneumonia, although it is very uncommon. The ASLOs in our series are not specific for Streptoccocus. pyogenes infection. The respiratory and renal prognosis was favourable in all cases.