Analysis of histopathological pattern of kidney biopsy specimens in Kuwait: A single-center, five-year prospective study

Abstract

Glomerulonephritis (GN) varies in incidence in different geographical areas due to different socioeconomic conditions and ethnicity, genetic variability and environmental factors. Our study is aimed to determine the histopathological pattern of kidney biopsies in Kuwait over the preceding five years. In a prospective study, we analyzed the clinical and pathological data of 214 kidney biopsies that were performed during the period from November 2009 to November 2014 at the Al-Khezam Dialysis Center, Al-Adan Hospital, Kuwait. Kidney biopsies were performed percutaneously using an automated gun guided by ultrasound. The biopsy samples were processed for light microscopy and immunofluorescence. Electron microscopy was performed only in selected cases. Age, gender, serum creatinine, 24-h urinary protein, virology, immunology profiles, indication for renal biopsy and histopathological findings were recorded for analysis. Primary GN was reported in 46.7%, secondary GN was reported in 42.9% and tubulointerstitial disease was reported in 10.3% of the 214 kidney biopsies studied. Among primary GN, membranous GN (MGN) was the most common lesion (12.1%), followed by immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN, 11.7%), minimal change disease (9.8%), focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (9.3%), membranoproliferative GN (1.9%), Alport′s syndrome (1.4%) and fibrillary GN (0.46%). Among biopsies that showed secondary GN, lupus nephritis was the most common (11.7%), followed by hypertensive glomerulosclerosis (10.3%), crescentic GN (7.1%), diabetic nephropathy (3.3%), thrombotic microangiopathy (2.3%), amyloidosis (2.3%), post-infectious GN (1.4%) and myeloma kidney (0.9%). Among biopsies that showed tubulointerstitial disease, acute interstitial nephritis was the most common lesion (6.1%), followed by chronic interstitial nephritis (2.8%) and acute tubular necrosis (1.4%). Our study indicates that MGN was the most common primary GN, followed by IgAN, while lupus nephritis was the most common secondary GN, followed by hypertensive glomerulosclerosis.