Some features of Balkan endemic nephropathy

This paper presents a brief review of the initial investigative efforts in three countries--"Yugoslavia", Bulgaria and Romania--on Balkan endemic nephropathy. There is now expert agreement that the disease represents an unusual type of chronic interstitial nephropathy of unknown aetiology. The epidemiological and histopathological data are summarized very briefly. The clinical symptoms and signs and the diagnostic approach to the disease are presented in greater detail. The possibilities of an early diagnosis in the latent, subclinical and early phases of the disease are discussed, together with the importance of the detection of a tubular type of proteinuria and enzymuria as a diagnostic aid.