Persistent renal damage following pre‐eclampsia: A renal biopsy study of 13 patients

Abstract

Renal biopsy material was examined from 13 patients who had a history of pre‐eclampsia and who were biopsied after delivery. The characteristic ‘endotheliosis’ associated with pre‐eclampsia appeared to resolve at varying rates and was not seen in biopsies taken more than 1 month after delivery. Four of the biopsies showed residual focal segmental glomerular lesions which are described. Focal global glomerular sclerosis (eight biopsies). focal interstitial scarring (seven biopsies) and arteriolo‐sclerosis (nine biopsies) were also identified. These findings support those earlier reports which indicated that pre‐eclampsia is capable of producing persistent renal demage in a small but significant percentage of cases.