[Spontaneous remission of Goodpasture syndrome in a 21-year-old patient].
HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 21-year-old man was admitted twice within half-a-year because of fatigue and increasing dyspnoea. Both times the chest x-ray showed extensive pulmonary infiltrates. Clinical remission occurred within a few days of starting antibiotic treatment. INVESTIGATIONS: During the second admission an increased titre for antibodies against glomerular basement membrane was discovered (2560 U/ml); renal functions were normal, but there was haematuria. Renal biopsy revealed linear deposits of IgG along the glomerular basement membrane. DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND COURSE: The pattern of findings indicated Goodpasture's syndrome. Immunosuppressive treatment and plasma separation did not have to be performed because spontaneous remission occurred within a few days. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates that spontaneous remission may occur in Goodpasture's syndrome.