METHODS: A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, EMBASE and Google scholar databases to identify all relevant papers published in English from 2003 to 2012, using the following keywords: end stage, terminal, chronic, renal, kidney, risk factors, Arab, North Africa and Libya.

RESULTS: In 2003, the reported incidence of ESKD and prevalence of dialysis-treated ESKD in Libya were the same at 200 per million population (pmp). In 2007, the prevalence of dialysis-treated ESKD was 350 pmp, but the true incidence of ESKD was not available. The most recent published WHO data in 2012 showed the incidence of dialysis-treated ESKD had risen to 282 pmp and the prevalence of dialysis-treated ESKD had reached 624 pmp. The leading causes of ESKD were diabetic kidney disease (26.5 %), chronic glomerulonephritis (21.1 %), hypertensive nephropathy (14.6 %) and congenital/hereditary disease (12.3 %). The total number of dialysis centers was 40 with 61 nephrologists. Nephrologist/internist to patient ratio was 1:40, and nurse to patient ratio was 1:3.7. Only 135 living-related kidney transplants had been performed between 2004 and 2007. There were no published data on most macroeconomic and renal service factors.

METHODS: A state-wide cross-sectional study was conducted. There were 336 native renal biopsies in 296 eligible patients from 1st January 2013 to 30th June 2016. All patients aged ≥12 years with sufficient sampling (≥8 glomeruli) for histopathological assessment were included. Graft kidney biopsies, protocol-based biopsies and patients with uncertain demographics were excluded. Demographics of patients, clinical data, laboratory parameters prior to biopsy, and histology findings of renal biopsies were collected from local unit database and recorded into a standardised data collection form. Descriptive statistical analyses were employed and factors associated with Lupus nephritis (LN) were explored using logistic regression.

RESULTS: The mean age during biopsy was 34.53 years (Standard Deviation 0.759). Primary glomerulonephritis (PGN) accounted for 42.6% (126) of all native renal biopsies. The commonest cause of PGN was minimal change disease (38.9%, 49) followed by focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (33.3%, 42) and IgA nephropathy (14.3%, 18). LN is the leading cause for secondary glomerulonephritis (SGN) (87.2%, 136). Younger age (Odds Ratio, OR 0.978; 95% Confidence Interval, 95%CI 0.960, 0.996); female gender (OR 17.53; p<0.001); significant proteinuria (OR 132.0; p<0.001); creatinine level at biopsy (OR 11.26; p=0.004); positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) (OR 46.7; p<0.001); and ANA patterns (OR 8.038; p=0.018) were significant in predicting the odds of having LN.