2012 Volume 51 Issue 24 Pages 3395-3399
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is characterized by the rapid deterioration of the renal function associated with crescent formation on renal biopsies. This report describes a case of RPGN caused by anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) glomerulonephritis in an elderly man with severe thrombocytopenia and a platelet count of 1.4×104/μL. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) were implicated in the severe decrease in platelets. This report also discusses the pathological background and clinical management of TMA and HIT among patients with anti-GBM glomerulonephritis.