Prospective population-based study on the burden of disease from post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis of hospitalised children in New Zealand: epidemiology, clinical features and complications.

Aim: A nationwide 24-month study was conducted (2007-2009), via the New Zealand Paediatric Surveillance Unit to define epidemiology and clinical features of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) in children hospitalised with the illness.

Methods: Paediatricians (n = 215) were requested to report new hospitalised cases fulfilling a case definition of definite (haematuria with low C3 and high streptococcal titres or biopsy proven APSGN) or probable (haematuria with low C3 or high streptococcal titres).

Results: A total of 176 cases were identified (definite: n = 138, probable: n = 38) with 63% residing in the Auckland metropolitan region.