Keywords
Lupus nephritis
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
Kidney biopsy
Epidemiology
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Glomerular diseases are a significant cause of renal morbidity and are classified as primary or secondary. In Latin America, secondary forms associated with lupus are predominant. In Colombia, the REGLOCOL Registry aims to characterize their clinical, histological, and therapeutic profiles to strengthen nephrology research.
Objective: To describe the demographic, clinical, and histopathological characteristics of patients included in the preliminary phase of the Colombian Registry of Glomerular Diseases (REGLOCOL).
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional analysis of 900 biopsy reports from 11 nephrology centers across Colombia was conducted between 2010 and 2025. Clinical, demographic, and histopathological data were extracted from standardized forms. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, which are presented as frequencies, means, and medians with interquartile ranges.
Results: Of the 900 biopsies reviewed, 864 met inclusion criteria. Primary glomerulopathies accounted for 70.7% of cases, while secondary forms represented 29.3%. The most frequent diagnoses were lupus nephritis (22.8%), focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (22.1%), membrano proliferative glomerulonephritis (14.1%), and IgA nephropathy (12%). The cohort was predominantly female (56.8%), of mestizo ethnicity (88.5%), and aged 30-59 years (42.4%). The most common clinical presentation was nephrotic syndrome (39.8%), followed by arterial hypertension (35.3%). Regional distribution revealed a higher concentration of cases in the Caribbean region, which corresponded to the larger number of participating centers located in that region.
Conclusions: Preliminary findings from REGLOCOL reveal that glomerular diseases in Colombia predominantly affect women of productive age, with lupus nephritis and focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis as the leading entities. REGLOCOL represents a milestone in the national characterization of glomerular pathology and establishes a foundation for future multicenter studies aimed at understanding epidemiological, genetic, and environmental determinants of kidney disease in Latin America.
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