Burden of Glomerular Diseases in Australia: A Data Linkage Study

Overview

Glomerular diseases are rare with limited epidemiological and long-term outcome data. This study used linked health records to identify patients with glomerular disease and then track their long-term outcomes in Australia. Our findings show that glomerular disease affects about 89 in every 100,000 people, with 12 new cases per 100,000 people each year. Over an average period of 6 years, we found that those with glomerular disease had a 31 times higher risk of kidney failure and 2–4 times higher risk of death, heart disease, blood clots, and severe infections, compared to people without these conditions. These risks were similar whether the disease was newly diagnosed or had been present for some time. People with glomerular disease were hospitalised more often and for longer periods of time than those who did not have the condition. The poor outcomes of patients with glomerular diseases highlight the need for improved monitoring and treatment, with linked health data offering insights into the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of these rare kidney diseases.