Acute Medicine | Renal | Goodpasture's disease signs and symptoms

Goodpasture's Disease Signs and Symptoms
Session Overview
Description
This session will discuss the symptoms and signs of Goodpasture’s disease.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Identify the presenting symptoms and signs of Goodpasture’s disease

Goodpasture’s disease is a rare, autoimmune condition affecting the lungs and kidneys. In European countries, the incidence rate is less than one per million of the population. It is, however, important to diagnose this condition as early as possible.

Haemoptysis is normally the most prominent symptom of Goodpasture’s disease; however, in the presence of haemorrhage it may be absent. In such cases the patient may present only with infiltrates on a chest x-ray, and/or respiratory distress or failure.

Other common symptoms include dyspnoea and cough. Up to 40% of patients have gross haematuria, although pulmonary haemorrhage may precede renal manifestations by a period of time from weeks to years. It is uncommon for patients to have systemic symptoms such as fever, malaise or weight loss. These symptoms would suggest a vasculitic process.

Signs of Goodpasture’s disease vary over time and range from clear lungs on auscultation to crackles and rhonchi. Some patients have peripheral oedema and pallor due to anaemia.