In many developing countries in the South Asian region, screening for chronic diseases in the community has shown a widely varying prevalence. However, certain geographical regions have shown a high prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown etiology. This predominantly affects the young and middle-aged population with a lower socioeconomic status. Here, we describe the hotspots of CKD of undiagnosed etiology in South Asian countries including the North, Central and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka and the coastal region of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Screening of these populations has revealed cases of CKD in various stages. Race has also been shown to be a factor, with a much lower prevalence of CKD in whites compared to Asians, which could be related to the known influence of ethnicity on CKD development as well as environmental factors. The difference between developed and developing nations is most stark in the realm of healthcare, which translates into CKD hotspots in many regions of South Asian countries. Additionally, the burden of CKD stage G5 remains unknown due to the lack of registry reports, poor access to healthcare and lack of an organized chronic disease management program. The population receiving various forms of renal replacement therapy has dramatically increased in the last decade due to better access to point of care, despite the disproportionate increase in nephrology manpower. In this article we will discuss the nephrology care provided in various countries in South Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the care of patients with noncommunicable diseases, including those suffering from kidney-related ailments. Many parts of the world, including India, adopted lockdown to curb community transmission of disease. The lockdown affected transportation, access to health care facilities, and availability of medicines and consumables as well as outpatient and inpatient services. We aimed to analyze the effect of lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the care of patients with kidney diseases in India. Methods: We surveyed 19 major hospitals (8 in the public and 11 in the private sector) to determine the effect of lockdown on the care of patients with kidney disease, including those on dialysis after the first 3 weeks of lockdown. Results: The total number of dialysis patients in these centers came down from 2517 to 2404. Approximately 710 (28.2%) patients missed 1 or more dialysis sessions, 69 (2.74%) required emergency dialysis sessions, 104 (4.13%) stopped reporting for dialysis, and 9 (0.36%) were confirmed to have died. Outpatient attendance in the surveyed hospital came down by 92.3%, and inpatient service reduced by 61%. Tele-consultation was started but was accessed by only a small number of patients. Conclusion: Lack of preparedness before lockdown resulted in an interruption in health care services and posed an immediate adverse effect on the outcome of dialysis patients and patients with kidney disease in India. The long-term impact on the health of patients with less severe forms of kidney disease remains unknown.

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ARF in South India differs in some important aspects when compared with data from other parts of the country. Significant trend changes were noted with time even within our center. Acute diarrheal disease was the most common cause of ARF. Leptospiral ARF was on the decline, and drugs, sepsis, and malaria were the emerging ARF causes. The incidence of surgical ARF was on the rise. Despite improvements in antenatal care, obstetric renal failure remained a significant cause of ARF. Hemodialysis became the preferred mode of renal replacement therapy.

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Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is characterized by a normal anion gap with hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. Primary distal RTA (type I) is the most common RTA in children. Childhood presentation of distal RTA includes vomiting, failure to thrive, metabolic acidosis, and hypokalemia. Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) represents a condition where the dental enamel and oral tissues are affected in an equal manner resulting in the hypoplastic or hypopigmented teeth. We report a 10-year-old girl, previously asymptomatic presented with the hypokalemic paralysis and on work-up found out to have type I RTA. The discoloration of teeth and enamel was diagnosed as AI.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by circulating IgG antibodies (rarely IgA and IgM) to the carboxyterminal, noncollagenous 1 (NC1) domain of type IV collagen of GBM also known as Goodpasture antigen. Patients typically present with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) and pulmonary hemorrhage in the presence of which it is referred to as Goodpasture's disease. Anti-GBM disease has been reported to coexist with pauci-immune antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-positive glomerulonephritis and membranous glomerulopathy. The sequential or concurrent presentation of anti-GBM disease with IgA nephropathy has been rarely described. We herein report a case of a 22-year-old female who presented with RPGN, and renal biopsy revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis with strong linear IgG (+2) staining of GBM and extensive mesangial IgA (+3) deposits. The patient was treated with three pulses of IV methylprednisolone followed by oral steroids. Plasmapheresis and cytotoxic agents were not included in the therapeutic armamentarium as the patient had no pulmonary hemorrhage and biopsy revealed established chronic changes. The association of anti-GBM disease with IgA nephropathy could open up new vistas on the implication of these IgA mesangial deposits in the pathogenesis and prognosis of anti-GBM disease.

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