Abstract
Background and Objectives: Results of renal biopsy varies based on geographic areas, race and age. There is few data about renal biopsy on children in our area. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of renal biopsies in Children's Hospital of Tabriz, and compare the results with available medical literature.
Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional and descriptive study we analysed 73 renal biopsies on children under 14 years of age, between 1999 and 2006.The results of histopathologic evaluation, its impact on diagnosis and treatment and outcome of patients were studied.
Results: The primary clinical diagnosis of patients were nephrotic syndrome (NS), acute nephritic syndrome, renal failure, henoch schonlein nephritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and recurrent gross hematuria in order of decreasing frequency. The histopathological diagnosis in order of descending frequency were: diffuse mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis(GN) (22%), minimal change nephrotic syndrome (19.1%), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (16.2%), membranoproliferative GN (11.8%), focal proliferative GN(11.8%), Finnish type congenital NS (7.3%), crescentic GN (5.9%) , nephronophtysis (4.4%) and diffuse mesangial sclerosis(1.47%). Diagnosis was changed in 31% and mode of therapy changed in 44% of patients after biopsy. In longterm follow up 49.3% of patients recovered, 23.4% developed chronic renal failure and 11% died.
Conclusion: The indications and results of renal biopsies in this study were similar to other worldwide published studies. But in comparison with the western countries the frequency of IgA nephropathy was lower, maybe due to few diagnostic facilities, and the frequency of Finnish type congenital NS was higher.