Background: Many children with kidney diseases can be diagnosed and treated without a biopsy. However, biopsy is a valuable method for the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of children with kidney diseases.
Aims: To evaluate the clinical and pathological profiles of the kidney biopsies in our department to provide epidemiological data for clinical practice.
Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.
Methods: Kidney biopsies and patient"s charts in pediatric patients performed between May 2005 and February 2015 at the Pediatric Nephrology Department, Trakya University School of Medicine were assessed retrospectively.
Results: A total of 100 patients were examined. Their mean age was 9.62±4.26 years (range: 1-17 years); 54% of the patients were girls and 46% were boys. The most frequent indication for kidney biopsy was nephrotic syndrome (33%). The most common kidney disease was primary glomerulonephritis, which was observed in 65% of cases. IgA nephropathy (24%) was the most frequently observed subtype in primary glomerulonephritis groups. Secondary glomerulonephritis was diagnosed in 35% of cases. Systemic lupus erythematosus (51%) was the most frequently observed subtype in the secondary glomerulonephritis groups.
Conclusion: IgA nephropathy and systemic lupus erythematosus were the most frequent primary and secondary glomerulonephritis in our region among children, respectively.

Keywords : Kidney biopsy, child, histopathological diagnosis, glomerulonephritis