title: Progression of kidney damage in Balkan endemic nephropathy: a 15-year follow-up of patients with kidney biopsy examination.
abstract: Progression of kidney damage was studied in 18 patients with Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), with a mean 15-year follow-up after renal biopsy. According to kidney function, estimated by 99mTc-DTPA clearance, patients were divided into three groups: with apparently normal kidney function (clearance 103.5+/-21.3 mL/min/1.73 m2), with incipient renal failure (clearance 65.5 +/- 11.3), and with advanced renal failure (clearance 28.0+/-6.2). The mean yearly decrease of glomerular filtration rate was 2.74 mL/min. In two patients, an increase of kidney function was recorded. Six patients become dialysis dependent, two from the group with incipient renal failure, but all four from the group with advanced renal failure. Three patients died after 8 to 12 years of follow-up, one from causes unrelated to kidney disease and two from end-stage renal failure. This study has shown that BEN is characterized by a slow course and prolonged evolution, modified by medical supervision and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nephrology and Hemodialysis, Faculty of Medicine, Nis, Serbia.
authors.forename: Rade
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cukuranovic
authors.forename: Vojin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Savic
authors.forename: Natalija
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stefanovic
authors.forename: Vladisav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stefanovic
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D001449:Balkan Nephropathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011866:Radioisotope Renography / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D015022:Yugoslavia / Q000453:epidemiology