Histopathological Pattern in Adult Nephrotic Syndrome: A Single Center Study from Karachi

Nephrotic syndrome is one of the most common indications of renal biopsy. It is essential to have tissue diagnosis in these patients for instituting the correct treatment. Several studies are available from other centers in Pakistan. Our study is useful addition to this pool of information. It will help the researchers and clinicians equally in better understand the disease pattern of kidney diseases in Pakistan. The objective of this study is to determine the histopathological pattern of the kidney diseases in patients who presented to Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi Pakistan with the diagnosis of Nephrotic syndrome. Kidney biopsy data of ten years from 2003 to 2012 was reviewed to select the cases with the diagnosis of  Nephrotic syndrome. Systemic diseases known to cause nephrotic syndrome as well as transplanted kidneys were excluded.  Whole group was divided into two subgroups for analysis. Total of 128 patients were identified, 85 male and 43 female. Age range: 16 to 77 years with mean of 37. Over all the most common diagnosis was Membranous Nephropathy.  On subgroup analysis, in the younger age group (16 to 40 years)) the most common diagnosis was Minimal change disease. In older age group (41 to 77 years) the most common pathology was Membranous Nephropathy.