Renal biopsy findings among Indigenous Australians: a nationwide review.

Australia's Indigenous people have high rates of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. To define renal disease among these people, we reviewed 643 renal biopsies on Indigenous people across Australia, and compared them with 249 biopsies of non-Indigenous patients. The intent was to reach a consensus on pathological findings and terminology, quantify glomerular size, and establish and compare regional biopsy profiles. The relative population-adjusted biopsy frequencies were 16.9, 6.6, and 1, respectively, for Aboriginal people living remotely/very remotely, for Torres Strait Islander people, and for non-remote-living Aboriginal people. Indigenous people more often had heavy proteinuria and renal failure at biopsy. No single condition defined the Indigenous biopsies and, where biopsy rates were high, all common conditions were in absolute excess. Indigenous people were more often diabetic than non-Indigenous people, but diabetic changes were still present in fewer than half their biopsies. Their biopsies also had higher rates of segmental sclerosis, post-infectious glomerulonephritis, and mixed morphologies. Among the great excess of biopsies in remote/very remote Aborigines, females predominated, with younger age at biopsy and larger mean glomerular volumes. Glomerulomegaly characterized biopsies with mesangiopathic changes only, with IgA deposition, or with diabetic change, and with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). This review reveals great variations in biopsy rates and findings among Indigenous Australians, and findings refute the prevailing dogma that most indigenous renal disease is due to diabetes. Glomerulomegaly in remote/very remote Aboriginal people is probably due to nephron deficiency, in part related to low birth weight, and probably contributes to the increased susceptibility to kidney disease and the predisposition to FSGS.

Detection and prevention of chronic kidney disease in Indonesia: initial community screening.

AIM: This survey evaluated the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD if estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2)) and its risk factors amongst subjects from urban and semi-urban areas. METHODS: History of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases of subjects and their families was recorded. Blood pressure was determined as the mean of three readings in the sitting position and hypertension classified according to the Joint National Committee VII. Urinalysis was assessed using Combi 10R dipstick test. Random blood glucose and serum creatinine were measured in subjects with either hypertension, proteinuria, glycosuria and/or a history of diabetes. eGFR was calculated according Cockcroft-Gault (CG) adjusted by body surface area (BSA), Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and Chinese MDRD equations. RESULTS: Of 9412 subjects recruited, 64.1% were female. Persistent proteinuria was found in almost 3%. Systolic and diastolic hypertension was found in 10%, isolated systolic hypertension in 4.8% and isolated diastolic hypertension in 4.6%. CKD was found in 12.5% (CG), 8.6% (MDRD) or 7.5% (Chinese MDRD) of subjects with either hypertension, proteinuria and/or diabetes. Proteinuria, systolic blood pressure and a history of diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of impaired eGFR. Obesity and smoking history were found in 32.5% and 19.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study showed a high prevalence of CKD in representative urban and semi-urban areas and argues for screening and treatment of all Indonesians, particularly those at an increased risk of CKD.