Original Article Incidence of biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis

Background. The reported biopsy-proven glomerulo-nephritis incidence varies according to population characteristics, the unknown true glomerulonephritis incidence and biopsy rate. Reported glomerulonephri-tis incidence should be evaluated against the biopsy rate. Methods. We report here the glomerulonephritis incidence in our University Hospital (UH) consecutive biopsy material. It is compared to those from surrounding central hospitals (CH), previous single-centre studies and European biopsy registries (EBR). Biopsy rate, when reported, has been considered. Results. The annual biopsy rate/105, median (min–max), at the UHs was 25.4 (15.6–35.1). At the CHs it was 8.7 (5.1–12.6). In previous single-centre studies it has been 18.7–21.5. In the EBRs it has been between 1.0 and 6.9 when reported. The annual incidences (median, min–max) per 105 (1980–2000) at the UH were as follows: proliferative glomerulone-phritis (9.5, 6.8–18.1), non-proliferative glomerulone-phritis (6.7, 3.4–12.6), the four major glomerulonephritis groups MesGN (7.7, 4.4–15.9), ECGN/FPGN–complex (1.4, 0.5–3.2), MCGP