title: Changes in the histological spectrum of glomerular diseases in the past 16 years in the North-Eastern region of Romania.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to describe the findings of renal biopsies from a large nephrology center in Iasi, Romania, performed between 2005 and 2010. We compared these findings with our previous ones, from 1995 to 2004, as well as with similar reports.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied retrospectively 239 renal biopsies. The indications for renal biopsy were categorized into: nephrotic syndrome, acute nephritic syndrome, asymptomatic urinary abnormalities, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the past 16 years, a gradual increase in the annual number of renal biopsies/per million population (p.m.p.)/year was observed, although this incidence remained lower than in other European countries. Nephrotic syndrome was the indication for renal biopsy in over 50% of cases. Glomerulonephritis (GN) was the main histological diagnosis in 91% of cases, of which 56% were primary GN and 35% were secondary GN. The frequency of various types of primary GN was: membranoproliferative GN (MPGN) - 29.3%, membranous nephropathy (MN) -27.5%, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) - 17.2%, mesangial GN (including IgAN) -13.7%, crescentic GN - 9.4%, and minimal change disease (MCD) - 2.5%. Compared to the previously reported period (1994-2004), we observed a significant decrease in the frequency of MPGN and significant increases in the frequency of FSGS and, particularly MN - which more than doubled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report significant changes in the histological spectrum of GN in North-Eastern Romania in 2005-2010, compared to the previously reported 10-yrs. These changes seem to be following a trend that has also been observed in Western countries a few decades ago, and which may have a socioeconomic explanation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Dr. C.I. Parhon, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Volovăt
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cãruntu
authors.forename: Camelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costin
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stefan
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Popa
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Volovăt
authors.forename: Dimitrie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siriopol
authors.forename: Luminita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Voroneanu
authors.forename: Ionut
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nistor
authors.forename: Liviu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Segall
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Covic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography