title: Pattern, clinical features and response to corticoids of glomerular diseases in a Brazilian population. An analytical cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glomerular disease registries are increasing all around the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and treatment response among patients with glomerular diseases followed up in a tertiary hospital in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analytical cross-sectional study; tertiary-level public hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included patients with glomerular diseases followed up at a tertiary hospital in Fortaleza, northeastern Brazil. Clinical and laboratory data on each patient were registered. The response to specific treatment was evaluated after 3, 6 and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 168 patients of mean age 37 ± 14 years. The most prevalent glomerular diseases were focal segmental glomerulosclerosis FSGS] (19.6%), minimal change disease MCD] (17.9%), membranous nephropathy MN] (16.7%) and lupus nephritis LN] (11.9%). The main clinical presentations were nephrotic proteinuria (67.3%) and renal insufficiency (17.9%). The mean proteinuria value decreased after the treatment began. Regarding 24-hour proteinuria on admission, there was no significant difference between patients with a good response and those with no response (7,448 ± 5,056 versus 6,448 ± 4,251 mg/24 h, P = 0.29). The glomerular disease with the highest remission rate was MCD (92%). Absence of interstitial fibrosis presented a strong correlation with remission (remission in patients without fibrosis = 83.4% versus 16.3% in those with fibrosis, P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study found that the most frequent glomerular disease was FSGS, followed by MCD, MN and LN. The presence of interstitial fibrosis was a predictor of poor therapeutic response.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFCE), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anaiara Lucena
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Hospital Geral de Fortaleza (HGF), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dulce Maria Sousa
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Geraldo Bezerra da
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Silva Junior
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFCE), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Edísio da Silva
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Tavares Neto
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFCE), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Israel
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFCE), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Régia Maria do Socorro Vidal
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Patrocínio
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFCE), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elizabeth De Francesco
authors.initials: Ede F
authors.lastname: Daher
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFCE), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto Carvalho de
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000097:blood; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000150:complications; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D016572:Cyclosporine