Pathological study on development of chronic glomerulonephritis.

For the study of chronicity, malignancy or development of diffuse glomerulonephritis, 60 autopsy cases of chronic glomerulonephritis were selected and their intrarenal vascular changes were compared with respective clinical data and clinical course. In arteries measuring over 200µ in diameter, the degree of arterioscle-rosis was totally proportional to age, duration of illness, blood pressure, etc., and the degree of fibrous simple thickening, fibrous proliferative thickening and necrosis was proportional to duration of illness but not necessary to other factors. As to histological findings, glomerular changes were in proportion to vascular changes in intensity. Malignant phase of chronic glomerulonephritis was noted in 20 cases and in most of these cases the duration of illness from onset of nephritis to death was relatively long. Such malignant cases rapidly increased in number since 1963 and there were noted some cases of death due to cerebral vascular insufficiency.