Etymed
crescentic glomerulonephritis
Definition
A severe form of glomerulonephritis characterized by the formation of crescent-shaped cellular deposits in the glomeruli of the kidneys, leading to rapid deterioration of kidney function
Clinical context
A 25-year-old man presents with hematuria, oliguria, and rapidly ascending renal failure over 3 days. His serum creatinine is 4.2 mg/dL and he has evidence of urinalysis showing numerous red blood cells and red cell casts. A kidney biopsy reveals crescent-shaped cellular deposits in over 50% of glomeruli. His anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are positive.
Mnemonic
CRESCENT = Cough, Rapid decline, Electrical, Sudden onset, End-stage, Nephritis, Glomerulonephritis, Enlarged kidneys
These morphemes also unlock…
- crescent/o — crescent-shaped
- glomerul/o — glomerulus
- nephrit/o — kidney inflammation