Clinicopathologic characteristics and long-term outcomes in glomerulonephritis with crescent formation: a 20-year single-center cohort study


Yılmaz T., Döngelli H., Oktan M. A., Heybeli C., Deligöz Bildacı Y., Korucu B., ...Daha Fazla

ACTA CLINICA BELGICA, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/17843286.2026.2633340
  • Dergi Adı: ACTA CLINICA BELGICA
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Crescentic glomerulonephritis, mortality, renal survival, ANCA, maintenance therapy
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

IntroductionCrescentic glomerulonephritis (GN) is among the most aggressive glomerular diseases, defined by extensive crescent formation and rapid loss of kidney function.ObjectiveTo evaluate clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic determinants of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and overall survival (OS), and to identify associated factors of poor outcomes in patients with crescentic GN (cGN) and GN with crescent formation.MethodsThis single-center retrospective cohort included 194 adults who underwent kidney biopsy between 2005 and 2024. The primary endpoints were progression to ESKD and OS. Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan - Meier analyses were performed.ResultsImmune complex GN was the predominant subtype (59.3%), followed by pauci-immune GN (38.1%) and anti-GBM disease (2.6%). cGN accounted for 25.2% of cases. Overall, 42.8% of patients progressed to ESKD, while 35.6% died during follow-up. In multivariate Cox analysis, maintenance steroid monotherapy was a strong independent associated factor of ESKD (HR 2.349, 95% CI 1.378-4.004, p = 0.002), along with baseline creatinine (HR 1.180, 95% CI 1.023-1.360, p = 0.023), proteinuria (HR 1.067, 95% CI 1.020-1.117, p = 0.005), global glomerulosclerosis (HR 4.103, 95% CI 1.083-15.540, p = 0.038), and IgA positivity (HR 0.758, 95% CI 0.587-0.979, p = 0.034). For OS, steroid monotherapy remained independently associated with mortality (HR 2.427, 95% CI 1.370-4.299, p = 0.002), along with older age and reduced eGFR.ConclusionMaintenance steroid monotherapy was the strongest treatment-related factor associated with both ESKD and overall survival, highlighting the potential risks of inadequate maintenance immunosuppression in high-risk patients.