Clinicopathological profile of pediatric renal biopsies at a tertiary care hospital, Pakistan.

Renal biopsy is an important tool for the diagnosis of acute and chronic glomerular diseases in children. We aimed to analyze the spectrum of clinical indications and histopathological patterns (HPP) in children who underwent renal biopsy (RB). This is a retrospective review of case records of 108 renal biopsies carried out from January 2010 to December 2015 at the Pediatric Nephrology Department, National Institute of Child Health Karachi, Pakistan. RB was performed under Ketamine-Midazolam sedation and real-time ultrasound. Trucut or monopty biopsy gun was used. Data obtained included age, gender, clinical indications, biochemical, urinary, and HPP. Data analyzed by descriptive statistics using SPSS version 20. Of the total 108 patients who underwent renal biopsy, males were 56.5%. The mean age of children at biopsy and disease onset was 7.0 ± 4.28 (0. 2-17) and 5.8 ± 4.09 (0.1-15) years, respectively. Common indications for renal biopsy in primary glomerulonephritis (PGN) were steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS, 36.1%), steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS, 21.3%), and acute nephritic syndrome (ANS) with acute kidney injury (12.0%). Other indications were systemic lupus erythematosus with nephritis and Henoch-Schonlein purpura among secondary GN. Histopathological pattern in PGN showed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS, 25.9%), minimal change disease (MCD, 22.2%), membranoproliferative GN (MPGN, 12%), and IgM nephropathy (7.4%). Lupus nephritis (7.4%) was the most common among secondary GN (SGN). Among 22 SDNS; MCD was found in 16, FSGS in four, and MPGN in two children whereas among 40 SRNS; 10 had MCD, 16 FSGS, and two had MPGN. We concluded that most common indications of renal biopsy were SRNS followed by SDNS and ANS. FSGS was the predominant HPP among SRNS and MCD among SDNS.