How common is Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
What are the incidence and prevalence of Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis?
Primary Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis is one of the least common causes of primary nephrotic syndrome, accounting at most for 5% to 10% of cases.
Therefore the incidence is probably in the range of 1 to 2 per million population per year; as such, it qualifies for the federal designation of a rare disease.
The incidence of Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis may have been declining over the last two decades.
The secondary causes of Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis have a less clear-cut epidemiology because of varying patterns of performing a kidney biopsy in patients with urinary abnormalities and subtle changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
In addition, clinical practice may differ in those with primary versus secondary disease. In primary disease, where extrarenal symptoms are limited, a kidney biopsy is essential to make a diagnosis.
In contrast, the presence of a defined secondary cause may be viewed as sufficient to make a clinical diagnosis. The net result may underestimate the incidence of this complication in patients with Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
Nonetheless, Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis is a rare cause of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in children and adults, accounting for less than 5% of patients on dialysis or receiving a kidney transplant.
