Effect of Febrile Plasma,Typhoid Vaccine and Nitrogen Mustard on Renal Manifestations of Human Glomerulonephritis

Summary

Administration of plasma from patients acutely ill with pneumococcal and streptococcal infections failed to decrease proteinuria or induce diuresis in 2 patients with chronic diffuse glomerulonephritis.

Induction of the pyrogenic reaction was accompanied by decrease in proteinuria on 2 occasions in one patient. We are inclined to attribute this result to the concomitant decrease in the rate of glomerular filtration.

Therapeutic doses of HN₂ reduced proteinuria but diuresis failed to occur in 2 patients with advanced chronic diffuse glomerulonephritis with marked renal functional impairment. However, in one patient with minimal renal functional impairment, administration of HN₂ was followed on 2 separate occasions by diuresis, marked reduction in proteinuria and concomitant increase in filtration rate, a combination of effects consistent with a return of glomerular function towards normal.†

Our observations indicate that reversal of renal manifestations of human glomerulonephritis can be induced by HN₂.

This study is being extended to include patients in earlier phases of glomerulonephritis.