Spectrum of renal diseases in Indian adults

Inspite of nephrology as a specialty since seventies, there is still paucity of data regarding the spectrum of renal diseases in India. Available literature from few hospitals shows data on specific clinical syndrome of renal diseases or specific renal diseases rather than the overall spectrum as a whole. This information will be useful for better resource management.

We studied spectrum of renal diseases among 14,796 patients presenting for the first time to nephrology outpatients between January 1987 to Oct. 1998. Majority of patients in our clinic were adults. Patients 14 years or below who mostly attend pediatric renal unit of the hospital were excluded from the analysis. Till 1991, the study was retrospective but after 1991, patients were followed prospectively. Patients were grouped according to classical renal syndrome. After the initial presentation, patients were followed subsequently till their last follow-up in the clinic or till the time of reporting the present data.

Mean age of patients was 38.69 +/- 15.5 years with male predominance in majority of presentations. Chronic renal failure (CRF), nephrotic syndrome (NS), nephritic syndrome and hypertension were the four common presentations seen in 47.8%, 15.03%, 4.6% and 4.9% cases respectively. Other presentations were acute renal failure (1.9%), urinary tract infection (2.9%), stone disease (4.6%), obstructive uropathy (2.1%), isolated haematuria (1.2%) and asymptomatic urinary abnormalities (0.3%). Chronic glomerulonephritis was seen in 49.4% cases of CRF followed by diabetic nephropathy in 28.4% cases. Of the nephrotic syndrome cases, primary glomerulonephritis was seen 58.5% cases, of which minimal change disease was the commonest cause in 38% cases. Of the secondary glomerular diseases, diabetic nephropathy was commonest cause of NS (53%) followed by amyloidosis (16.4%) and lupus (8.3%). Tuberculosis was the commonest cause of renal amyloidosis seen in 50% cases. Of the nephritic syndrome, post-infective glomerulonephritis was commonest cause followed by rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis being the second commonest cause. In the hypertensive group, essential hypertension was the commonest cause followed by renovascular hypertension.

It is the first large study of its kind presenting the spectrum of renal diseases in the tertiary-care government hospital of the country and we expect the disease pattern to be reasonably similar in other similar government hospital of the country. Chronic renal failure, nephrotic syndrome and diabetes are three major diseases, with which we have to deal maximum. As CRF in young male patients is the largest load, with its wide social and economical implications in the Indian context, we must gear up to organise ourselves for providing the best possible care to these patients with the limited resources.