RESUMEN Objetivo. Determinar las caracteristicas clinico-epidemiologicas de las glomerulopatias a partir del registro de historias clinicas delServicio de Nefrologia del Hospital Universitario San Juan de Dios. Metodos. Es un estudio de tipo descriptivo retrospectivo del periodocomprendido entre 1992-2010, en el cual se realizaron 168 biopsias renales guiadas por ecografia. Del total de dichos reporteshistologicos, se obtuvieron datos de 136 historias clinicas. Resultados. Se encontro que la poblacion adulta joven (≥18 < 60 anos)correspondio al grupo en el que con mayor frecuencia se realizo biopsia renal (72,06%), asi como el genero femenino (55,1%). Elsindrome nefrotico fue la principal indicacion de biopsia renal (42,65%), seguido de la insuficiencia renal (30,15%). En el momento dela realizacion de la biopsia, el 55,8% de los pacientes tenian funcion renal normal. Los principales diagnosticos histologicos fueron laenfermedad por cambios minimos en los ninos, y la glomerulonefritis membrano-proliferativa y la glomeruloesclerosis focal ysegmentaria en la poblacion mayor; encontrando la nefropatia lupica como la principal etiologia secundaria en todas la edades. Lascomplicaciones secundarias al procedimiento se presentaron en el 1% de los pacientes.Conclusiones. La biopsia renal percutaneaguiada por ecografia es un metodo diagnostico con bajo riesgo de complicaciones y de facil realizacion en aquellos pacientes quepresenten compromiso renal, manifestado como alteracion en el sedimento urinario, sindrome nefrotico con o sin deterioro funcionrenal; determina a su vez, el tratamiento y pronostico de estos pacientes. Palabras Clave: Glomerulopatia. Biopsia. Epidemiologia. SUMMARY Kidney disease diagnosed by biopsy: clinical, histological and epidemiologic description. Results of the population attended between 1992and 2010 in the Hospital Universitario San Juan de Dios Nephology Service of Armenia city (Colombia).Objetives. Determine the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of glomerular diseases from the registry of clinical histories of theHospital Universitario San Juan de Dios nephrology service. Methods. This is a descriptive and a retrospective study, realized in theperiod of 1992-2010, in which 168 biopsies were made, guided by echography. From the total of the histology reports, were obtaineddata of 136 clinic histories. Results. Young people (≥18 < 60 years old) was the group with the highest number of renal biopsies(72,06%), and the women group too (55,1%). The nephrotic syndrome was the major indication of biopsy (42,65%) followed by acuterenal failure (30,15%). At the moment of the procedure, 55,8% of patients had normal renal function. Minimal change disease was theprincipal diagnostic in children, while membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis were themajor morphologic patterns in the adults, being the lupus nephritis the principal secondary cause in all the ages. Just 1% of thepatients had complications. Conclusion. The renal percutaneous biopsy, guides by echography is an easy diagnostic method with alow risk of complications in those patients with kidney injury, demonstrated as active urine sediment, nephrotic syndrome with orwithout renal failure; this is also fundamental to patient’s prognostic and treatment. Key words: Glomerulopathy. Biopsy. Epidemiology.