Abstract

Clinical and histopathological characteristics of patients with glomerulonephritis syndrome in Dar Es Saalam, Tanzania

Author(s): Paschal Ruggajo

The histologic pattern of specific glomerulopathies and their related clinical presentation and varies according to age, sex, race, socioeconomic status and geographic location. The underlying histopathological pattern of patients presenting with glomerulonephritis syndrome in Tanzania is virtually unknown. This study was set to determine different clinicolaboratory and histopathological patterns of glomerulonephritis syndrome in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. Hospital based descriptive cross sectional study, all adults from (18yrs and above) with proteinuria and hematuria who underwent renal biopsy from April 2017- December 2017 were consecutively recruited into this study. Patients infected with HIV, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus were excluded due to resources constraints. 55 participants with glomerulopathies were enrolled for this study, but 40 were eligible for percutaneous renal biopsy. Two-thirds of participants were female (67.5%) with mean age (±SD) of 32.7 (9.8) years. The commonest lesions were Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (32.2%), followed by minimal Change disease (20.0%) and membranous nephropathy (17.5%). Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy and Lupus nephritis were about (5.0%) respectively. Among others histologic findings were renal amyloidosis was about (5.0%), inconclusive findings (10.0%) and undetermined due to excessive fibrosis (1%). Primary glomerulopathies in Tanzania occur more commonly among young (< 40 year) female patients presenting with glomerulonephritis syndrome. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the most common primary glomerulopathy. There is considerable heterogeneity in the histologic spectrum of glomerulopathies which is influenced by age and gender factors.