Epidemiology

Glomerular diseases account for about 20% to 25% of cases in most kidney failure registries.[1] For every patient with clinically apparent GN, approximately 5-10 patients have undiagnosed subclinical disease.[6] One study suggests that the incidence of GN has generally increased, however, the increase may be related to changes in kidney biopsy policy.[7] Glomerular disease subtype frequencies differ considerably by continent.[8] Acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis is still the most common cause of acute GN in children worldwide.[9] Membranous nephropathy (MN) used to be the most common biopsy diagnosis in adult patients.[6] Primary MN is more common in white men >40 years of age. MN is associated with lupus in young women and with hepatitis B in children.[10] In one study of kidney biopsy results showing glomerular disease in the southeastern US, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis was the predominant diagnosis.[11] By comparison, studies from Australia, France, and China show that immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is more common there.[12][13][14]​​​ In a retrospective review in China, MN was the most common primary GN in adults, while IgAN was the most common in children.[15] Globally, GN is the third most common cause of chronic kidney disease, after diabetes and hypertension.[16] In young adults, GN is the most common cause of end-stage kidney disease.[17]

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