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World J Nephrol. Jun 25, 2026; 15(2): 109420
Published online Jun 25, 2026. doi: 10.5527/wjn.v15.i2.109420
Published online Jun 25, 2026. doi: 10.5527/wjn.v15.i2.109420
Renal involvement in Fabry disease from Tunisian families: Six case reports
Syrine Tlili, Hiba Ghabi, Ikram Mami, Lamia Rais, Mohamed Karim Zouaghi, Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, La Rabta Hospital, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
Fethi Ben Hmida, Research Laboratory in Renal Pathology LR00SP01, Medicine School of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Charles Nicole Hospital, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
Author contributions: Tlili S, Ghabi H, Mami I, Ben Hmida F, Rais L, and Zouaghi MK contributed to the conception and drafting of the manuscript; Rais L performed the histopathological analysis and interpretation of kidney biopsies; Tlili S, Ghabi H, Mami I, Ben Hmida F, and Zouaghi MK critically revised the manuscript; and all authors approved the final version.
Informed consent statement: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Corresponding author: Syrine Tlili, Associate Professor, Department of Nephrology, Dilaysis and Transplantation, La Rabta Hospital, Street Jebberi, Tunis 1007, Tunisia.
Received: May 12, 2025
Revised: June 20, 2025
Accepted: March 27, 2026
Published online: June 25, 2026
Processing time: 399 Days and 9 Hours
Revised: June 20, 2025
Accepted: March 27, 2026
Published online: June 25, 2026
Processing time: 399 Days and 9 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Fabry disease is a rare genetic disorder with variable clinical expression, often underdiagnosed in developing countries. Renal involvement, although frequent and prognostically significant, may be subtle or misattributed to more common nephropathies. This report of six related cases highlights the diagnostic challenges in recognizing Fabry nephropathy, particularly where access to genetic testing and renal biopsy is limited. Early identification through family screening and targeted evaluation is crucial to improve renal outcomes, especially in low-resource settings.