Effect of BMI on Deterioration of Renal Function in Patients with Primary Glomerulonephritides

Objective: This was a retrospective study to determine the effect of body mass index on the deterioration of renal function in patients with primary glomerulonephritides confirmed by renal biopsy from year 2005 to 2009 in the Qassim Region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: We reviewed the patient records of all adults who underwent renal biopsies at King Fahad Special Hospital (KFSH), Buraidah, Qassim, over a 4-year period from February 2005 to February 2009. Data of a total of 116 cases were recorded in a pre-formed and validated Performa. The Data were entered in SPSS 15 and analyzed. Results: The total number of the patients was 116, out of which 34 met the exclusion criteria. Among the remaining 82 there were 42 (51.2%) male and 40 (48.8%) females. The mean age of male was 30.2±SD 10.9 years and the mean age of female was 31.1±SD 10.9 years. Our results showed Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis FSGS in 26 (31.7%); Lupus nephritis in 22 (26.8%) patients, Membranous GN in 9 (10.98%); Minimal change GN in 7 (8.5%); Transplant Glomerulopathy with patchy Tubulointerstitial scarring (chronic rejection) in 6 (7.3%), Acute post streptococcal GN in 5 (6.1 %); IgA nephropathy in 4 (4.88%), and Membranoproliferative GN in 3 (3.66%). The most common lesion in females was Lupus nephritis (55%) followed by FSGS (30%) and in males was FSGS (33.3%) followed by membranous GN (16.7%). The mean BMI was 25.4±3kg/m2. For the males it was 26.1±5.4kg/m2 and for the females 24.2±6.2kg/m2. For the purpose of statistical calculations the patients were divided into three groups by their BMI i.e. 20; 20.1-25; 25kg/m2. The odds ratio for developing deterioration of renal function (indicated by a rise in serum creatinine) for men between the highest and the lowest BMI groups was 2.1 (1.88-2.45, p= 0.05) and 1.34 (1.21-1.55, p 0.05) for women. The effect of BMI on causing renal deterioration was most significant in FSGS with OR 1.51 (1.24-1.66, p= 0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that higher BMI is associated with poorer renal function more significant Correspondence to: Dr. Mahmoud H. Khedr, The Department of Internal Medicine, El-Minia University, Egypt and College of Medicine, Qassim University, Internal Medicine in male patients with primary glomerulonephritides especially in FSGS.