相对临床表现明显的肾小球肾炎患者，大约有5~10倍的患者处于未确诊的亚临床状态。[4]Haas M, Meehan SM, Karrison TG, et al. Changing etiologies of unexplained adult nephrotic syndrome: a comparison of renal biopsy findings from 1976-1979 and 1995-1997. Am J Kidney Dis. 1997 Nov;30(5):621-31.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9370176?tool=bestpractice.com 美国现在最常见的肾小球肾炎是局灶节段性肾小球硬化，特别是在黑人中。 成人最常见的肾小球肾炎过去是膜性肾病（MN）。[4]Haas M, Meehan SM, Karrison TG, et al. Changing etiologies of unexplained adult nephrotic syndrome: a comparison of renal biopsy findings from 1976-1979 and 1995-1997. Am J Kidney Dis. 1997 Nov;30(5):621-31.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9370176?tool=bestpractice.com[5]United States Renal Data System. USRDS 1997 annual data report. 1997 [internet publication].http://www.usrds.org/atlas97.aspx 40岁以上的男性白人中最常见的是特发性膜性肾病。年轻的女性狼疮患者和乙肝病毒感染的儿童也常见膜性肾病。[6]Braden GL, Mulhern JG, O'Shea MH, et al. Changing incidence of glomerular diseases in adults. Am J Kidney Dis. 2000 May;35(5):878-83.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10793022?tool=bestpractice.com 通过比较，来自澳大利亚、法国和中国的研究显示免疫球蛋白 A 肾病在这些地区更常见。[7]Briganti EM, Dowling J, Finlay M, et al. The incidence of biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis in Australia. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2001 Jul;16(7):1364-7.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11427626?tool=bestpractice.com[8]Simon P, Ramee MP, Boulahrouz R, et al. Epidemiologic data of primary glomerular diseases in western France. Kidney Int. 2004 Sep;66(3):905-8.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S008525381550135X?via%3Dihubhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15327379?tool=bestpractice.com[9]Li LS, Liu ZH. Epidemiologic data of renal diseases from a single unit in China: analysis based on 13,519 renal biopsies. Kidney Int. 2004 Sep;66(3):920-3.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0085253815501385?via%3Dihubhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15327382?tool=bestpractice.com 在美国和欧洲，肾小球肾炎 (GN) 是终末期肾病的第三大原因，仅次于糖尿病和高血压。就全球而言，肾小球肾炎是终末期肾病的首要原因，在发展中国家终末期肾病是各种感染的结果。在美国，进展至终末期肾病 (ESRD) 的原发性肾小球疾病中最常见的是局灶节段性肾小球硬化。[5]United States Renal Data System. USRDS 1997 annual data report. 1997 [internet publication].http://www.usrds.org/atlas97.aspx[10]Kitiyakara C, Eggers P, Kopp JB. Twenty-one-year trend in ESRD due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in the United States. Am J Kidney Dis. 2004 Nov;44(5):815-25.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15492947?tool=bestpractice.com
