Primary Glomerular Diseases and Novel Biomarkers

Glomerulonephritis is the third most common cause of end-stage kidney disease. The presentation, clinical course, and outcome of glomerular diseases are highly variable. A kidney biopsy is always needed to clarify the diagnosis; however, performing a kidney biopsy is limited by several factors such as bleeding disorders, obesity, and other comorbid conditions. There is a need for less invasive, simple, and reproducible tests, especially by using blood and urine samples, which could replace kidney biopsy. Our review focuses on the novel clinical, histopathological, blood, and urine biomarkers to make an accurate diagnosis and predict the prognosis of primary glomerular diseases including immunoglobulin A nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Overall, although there are promising biomarkers for glomerulonephritis, long-term evaluation of these biomarkers is still needed.
Cite this article as: Şafak S, Çalışkan Y. Primary glomerular diseases and novel biomarkers. Turk J Nephrol. 2022;31(2):93-102.