Glomerulonephritis in disadvantaged populations

Abstract

Glomerulonephritis (GN) still enjoys a high rank as a cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) worldwide. Its burden is particularly manifest in disadvantaged populations, with a proportional contribution up to 6-folds compared to that in the USA. There are several overlapping risk factors that render a particular population "disadvantaged" in this respect. It is envisaged that these may be categorized into a triad of genetic, climatic and socioeconomic factors. An attempt is made to dissect the impact of each of these factors, which combine in different proportions in different populations thereby explaining regional disparity in the epidemiology, clinical manifestations and outcomes of CKD. The genetic impact is manifest in racial variations in the incidence of GN as a whole, the predominance of FSGS mainly in blacks and IgA nephropathy in Asians, the increased susceptibility to SLE and decreased incidence of IgAN and vasculitis in blacks, with similar trends in other "subraces" as Indians, Afro-Caribbean's, Martinique and other indigenous populations. The climatic impact is mainly displayed in the tropics, where the "rich bioecological environment" increases the incidence of infection-associated GN, usually proliferative with a few exceptions. The socioeconomic impact, reflecting low national economy in the developing world, modifies the two other arms of the triad according to the level of primary care, efficiency of the referral system and adequate management of primary infections as well as associated glomerular injury.