[Is it justifiable to use antiplatelet drugs as a universal protection in patients with chronic glomerular damage?].

In many renal diseases, glomerular thrombosis may play an important role in the development of glomerular sclerosis and progression of renal failure. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of antiplatelet agents on the evolution of patients with chronic glomerular disease. Twenty four patients aged 48 +/- 17 years (21 with idiopathic glomerulonephritis, one with systemic lupus erythematosus and two with type II diabetes mellitus) were treated with aspirin and dipyridamole or aspirin alone during 23.9 +/- 17.5 months. The patients were followed during 31.8 +/- 23 months; seven patients had a progressive deterioration of renal failure requiring dialysis or transplantation (Group A) and 17 had a stable or improving renal function (Group B). Initial serum creatinine was significantly higher in group A than in group B (3.6 +/- 1.6 vs 1.5 +/- 1.5 mg/dl respectively p = 0.003); no other significant differences in the initial assessment were observed between both groups. It is concluded that antiplatelet agents may delay the progression of renal disease when started in patients with normal or slightly deteriorated renal function.