PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF ACUTE POSTSTREPTOCOCCAL GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

Abstract

Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis is an immune complex disease that occurs mainly in childhood with a peak incidence between 3 and 12 years of age, with a male predominance, and in adulthood is more common in the elderly and occurs as a type III hypersensitivity reaction. The main mechanism of glomerular injury is antibody-mediated immune damage, which usually occurs through complement- and leukocyte-mediated pathways, with the release of various mediators, and sometimes through direct damage to podocytes.