Comparison of kidney size between patients with Balkan endemic nephropathy and other kidney diseases.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between kidney dimensions and creatinine clearance (Ccr) in patients with Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), nephrosclerosis (NSc), glomerulonephritis (GN), diabetic nephropathy (DN) and in healthy persons. The main objective was to find out at which stage of BEN the kidneys start to shrink.

METHODS

The study involved 84 patients with BEN, 39 with NSc, 56 with GN, 55 with DN, and 52 healthy subjects, allocated to group 1 (n = 28) sex- and age-matched with BEN/NSc patients, or group 2 (n = 24) sex- and age-matched with GN/DN patients. Based on Ccr, patients were classified according to the NKF/DOQI guidelines.

RESULTS

The kidney dimensions of BEN patients in all stages of the disease were significantly shorter than those of healthy controls and patients with GN and DN. In stages 3-5, BEN patients had significantly smaller kidneys than patients with NSc. Patients with NSc had smaller kidney dimensions than controls and GN/DN patients but all of these differences were not significant.

CONCLUSION

BEN patients had significantly smaller kidneys than sex- and age-matched healthy persons and patients with GN and DN in all stages of the disease and patients with NSc in stages 3-5 of the disease.