Estimating the average normal thickening of the glomerular basement Membrane in a subset of Egyptian population: an electron microscopic study.

Aim: The presented study is an electron microscopic morphometric work that aimed at reporting a normal range and average (arithmetic mean) of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickness in the Egyptian population. This is important as a baseline for diagnosing renal disorders that are related to abnormalities in the GBM thickness such as Thin Basement Membrane Disease and Alport Syndrome. Patients and methods: This study included 40 patients; 20 adults and 20 children (10 males and 10 females in each group). Patients were diagnosed with Minimal Change Disease or Acute Tubular Injury based on their routine histopathologic examination. Hematuria and/or diabetes mellitus were the exclusion criteria in our study. Results and conclusion: The mean of the GBM thickness in adult males was 362.6093 nm (SD +/–31.13). That of adult females was 349.85 nm (SD +/–21.65). While for male children was 255.68 nm (SD +/–35.36). And female children reported 234.57 nm (SD +/–55.03). Rare segments of the GBM showed thicker or thinner measurements than the reported average were present in almost all patients in the study. Similarly, rare segments of GBM wrinkling could be encountered. However, these rare segments could be considered as a normal findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]