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Glomerulonephritis represents the third cause of end-stage chronic kidney disease worldwide. According to the Brazilian Hemodialysis Census of 2021, glomerulopathies account for the fifth leading cause of end-stage renal disease, responsible for 9% of all cases. However, according to these data, undefined causes represent 15% of all cases, suggesting a possible underdiagnosis.
Previous studies have reported a variable prevalence of glomerulopathy subtypes worldwide. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis appears to be the most prevalent subtype in the United States and Africa, while IgA nephropathy is the most frequent subtype in Asia and Europe. In Brazil, the actual prevalence of glomerulonephritis is supported by limited evidence. Previous studies have shown variability in the most common subtypes of glomerulopathy, particularly when comparing different regions of the country and considering the ethnic heterogeneity of the Brazilian population.
The aim of this study is to present the clinical, histological, and epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with glomerulopathy who underwent renal biopsy at three major hospital centers in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 2021 and 2022.
This is a retrospective study that evaluated renal biopsies with a diagnosis of glomerulonephritis performed in the years 2021 and 2022 at the Hospital Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Hospital São Lucas- PUCRS, and Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. All clinical and laboratory data were obtained through electronic record review at each hospital (Tasy or MVPEP), without patient identification.
Data will be analyzed in December 2023.
Glomerulopathies represent an important cause of CKD around the world. In underdeveloped and developing countries, they are still underdiagnosed due to difficulty in accessing kidney biopsy and complementary methods. In this study, we demonstrate the main indications for biopsy and the pathological findings from three large hospitals in southern Brazil.