Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis may occur in association with the five diseases mentioned and also with periaeritis (polyaeritis) nodosa, Wegener's granulomatosis, and essential cryoglobulinemia. Some cases arise without a known antecedent disease (idiopathic). Although the prognosis is poor in all types of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, post streptococcal disease has a better prognosis than the other types, and up to 50% of patients may recover sufficient renal function to avoid chronic dialysis or transplantation. Ref: Wyatt C., Kemp W.L., Moos P.J., Burns D.K., Brown T.G. (2008). Chapter 16. Pathology of the Kidney and Bladder. In C. Wyatt, W.L. Kemp, P.J. Moos, D.K. Burns, T.G. Brown (Eds), Pathology: The Big Picture.