Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in tuberculosis

Abstract

Renal involvement in tuberculosis occurs due to lympho-hematogenous dissemination. However, glomerular involvement is an uncommon event. Crescentic nephritis complicating tuberculosis is a therapeutic dilemma and weighs the risk of worsening the infection after immunosuppressive therapy. We present here a case of miliary tuberculosis with immune complex crescentic nephritis with advanced renal injury requiring renal replacement therapy. A diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis was made on the basis of positive sputum AFB, lymph node biopsy showing caseating granulomas and urinary polymerase chain reaction being positive for mycobacterial antigens. The patient recovered renal function with anti-tuberculous therapy with-out requiring immunosuppressive therapy.