Step 1: The clinical picture is a rapidly progressive nephritic syndrome: hematuria, edema and a sharply raised creatinine (9 mg%) signalling renal failure.
Step 2: The biopsy shows linear staining of the glomerular basement membrane with IgG on immunofluorescence. Smooth, continuous linear deposition is characteristic of anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease, also called Goodpasture syndrome.
Step 3: The confirmatory test for the etiology is detection of circulating anti-GBM antibodies. These antibodies cause endothelial injury and a crescentic glomerulonephritis. ANA would be ordered for lupus (granular, full-house deposits), urine immunoelectrophoresis for myeloma, and HIV RNA for HIV-associated nephropathy, none of which give linear IgG.
Answer: Anti-GBM antibodies.
Ref: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 9e, p 912-914.