Anti-glomerular Basement Membrane Disease with Antiphospholipid Syndrome

A 48-year-old woman presented with a fever, microscopic hematuria, proteinuria, and rapid deterioration of the renal function. Pulmonary alveolar hemorrhaging and a high level of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies (700 IU/mL) were observed. Based on her medical history and positive findings of serum lupus anticoagulant, anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) was suspected. A renal biopsy revealed cellular crescentic glomerulonephritis with thrombosis, suggesting anti-GBM disease with catastrophic APS. The patient was treated with pulse steroid therapy, plasma exchange, hemodialysis, and intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with anti-GBM disease and APS.