Symptoms:

Common symptoms include the following:

• Edema (swelling) of the face, eyes, ankles, feet, legs, or abdomen
• Blood in the urine
• Dark or smoke-colored urine
• Decreased urine volume

Symptoms that may also appear include the following:

• Abdominal pain
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• General ill feeling
• Fever
• Joint aches
• Muscle aches
• Loss of appetite
• Shortness of breath

Signs and tests:

A physical examination reveals edema (swelling). The doctor will listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope. Abnormal heart and lung sounds may be present. Blood pressure may be high.

Rapid, worsening loss of kidney function may be present. This disease may show up as an acute nephritic syndrome or unexplained kidney failure.

Tests that may be done include:

• Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody tests
• Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs)
• BUN and creatinine
• Complement levels
• Creatinine clearance
• Urinalysis

Other tests for suspected causes may be done. A kidney biopsy confirms the diagnosis. Most pathologists define crescentic glomerulonephritis when 50% or more glomeruli have an abnormal crescent shape on a kidney biopsy.