Clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in Far North Queensland Australian adults

Aim The aim is to describe the clinical features, treatment and outcomes in Australian adults with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and identify predictors of disease progression and all‐cause mortality. Methods The study included all patients with biopsy confirmed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis between January 1997 and June 2014 at participating hospitals. Clinical factors, histopathological findings, biochemical markers and treatments were analysed and potential predictors of doubling serum creatinine, end stage kidney disease or death identified. Results A total of 98 patients were included with a median follow up of 4.3 years. Thirty‐four (35%) patients were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis not‐otherwise‐specified was the most common variant. Seventeen (59%) patients initially treated with immunosuppression experienced an improvement in renal function. At the end of follow up, 43 (44%) patients had progressed to the composite outcome. Baseline tubulointerstitial scarring and lower haemoglobin predicted shorter time to doubling serum creatinine. Dual diagnosis, higher serum creatinine, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and doubling creatinine were associated with shorter time to end stage kidney disease with remission the only protective factor. Age was the only variable associated with all‐cause mortality. Conclusion Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis holds serious implications for patients. Concomitant diabetic nephropathy, higher serum creatinine and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate at renal biopsy were associated with poorer renal prognosis. Indigenous people had a female predominance and are over‐represented in relation to their population size, however, were not associated with poorer prognosis. Remission was the only modifiable variable and thus should be at the forefront of patient management goals and future studies. Summary at a Glance Authors examined a cohort of biopsy proven FSGS in Far North Queensland, Australia to identify predictors of poorer renal prognosis. An enriched cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Islander people were included, with a female predominance. Ethnicity was not associated with poorer renal outcomes, instead diabetic nephropathy, increase sCr and lower eGFR were found to hold worse prognosis with remission the only protective factor.