RENAL DISEASE IN KUALA LUMPUR: A STUDY OF 100 PATIENTS WITH RENAL BIOPSY

In 100 consecutive biopsies performed at the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, the general pattern of renal disease was similar to that reported from Europe and the United States. The nephrotic syndrome appeared to be more common amongst adult Chinese than among other ethnic groups. Chi-squared analysis suggests that the excess occurrence of the nephrotic syndrome amongst adult Chinese is of significance. Proliferative nephritis as a cause of the nephrotic syndrome is noted to be less common in this area than in other parts of the world. With the possible exception of one patient, nephrotic syndrome attributable to malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax was not observed. The crude rate of occurrence of the nephrotic syndrome in this area is approximately 0·61%. The significance of the frequency distribution of the nephrotic syndrome in the three ethnic groups is discussed. Various complications which occurred after biopsy amongst the 100 patients are also reported here.