Renal biopsy and antineutrophil antibodies in the diagnosis and assessment of Wegener's granuloma.

ABSTRACT

Seventeen patients with Wegener's granuloma (WG), all of whom had renal biopsies taken at presentation, are reviewed. In conjunction with nasal or transbronchial biopsies renal biopsies aided diagnosis and also yielded prognostic information. The detection of antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies in the serum of patients with WG is a useful supplementary diagnostic tool.