Avaliação das glomerulopatias em pacientes acompanhados no serviço de nefrologia do Hospital Geral de Fortaleza

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: glomerulonephritis still are one of the main causes of Chronic Renal Failure (CRF). The number of cases is increasing, especially in Brazil. There are few data regarding the incidence and prevalence of glomerulonephritis in our country. Glomerular damage results in proteinuria, hematuria, decrease in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), oliguria, anuria and hypertension due to sodium overload. OBJECTIVES: the aim of this study is to determine the clinical, pathological and epidemiological features of the patients with glomerular diseases followed at the General Hospital of Fortaleza. METHODS: the study population consisted of patients with biopsy proven glomerular disease followed at the Nephrology Department of the General Hospital of Fortaleza, Ceará, in the period between February 2010 and July 2011. RESULTS: a total of 168 patients were included. The mean age was 37 ± 14 years. The mean number of glomeruli in each renal biopsy was 20 ± 12. A total of 154 biopsies (92,2%) had at least 8 glomeruli per sample. Half of them were women, 84 patients (50%). The most common clinical presentation at admission was nephrotic syndrome, observed in 113 patients (67,3%). The most prevalent glomerulonephritis were Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (19,6%), Minimal Change Disease (17,9%), Membranous Nephropathy (16,7%), and Lupus Nephritis (11,9%). Primary glomerulopathies were more common, 124 cases (74,7%). A total of 81 patients (68.6%) presented a good response to therapy, and 37 patients (31,4%) did not respond well to treatment. CONCLUSION: FSGS was the most frequent glomerulonephritis in the present study, and nephrotic syndrome was the most common clinical presentation at admission. Renal biopsies had an adequate sample size in 92,2%.