Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Southern parts of Hebei province.

Methods: Records of 2874 CKD patients during January, 2008 to May, 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic, clinical and histo-pathological data were analyzed and compared to ones from the past five years.

Results: The age distribution of the groups was between 16 and 84 years old, with 62.39% of them between 20 and 50. All patients underwent renal biopsy that with primary glomerulonephritis occurring in 1966 cases (68.41%), secondary glomerulonephritis in 826 cases (28.74%). The frequently seen pathological patterns were IgA nephropathy (IgAN), membranous nephropathy (MN) and minimal change disease (MCD) in proper order in the former group while Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) and lupus nephritis (LN) were seen in the latter group. Comparing to data of the past five years, the incidence rates of MN, MCD and HBV-GN increased to 16.84%, 15.73% and 4.41% respectively, but all IgAN, HSPN and LN had respectively decreased to 24.70%, 5.50% and 6.65%. MN, IgAN, MCD were commonly appeared in histo-pathological patterns among patients over 50 years of age.

Conclusions: IgAN was still the most commonly seen renal disease. Compared to data of the past five years, the incidence rates of MN, MCD and HBV-GN showed an increase at different levels. Epidemiological and pathological pattern of patients with CKD in Southern Hebei province had only mild changes over the last 3 years.