Evaluation of kidney biopsies in elderly patients

Abstract

Objective: The renal parenchymal disease spectrum in geriatric patients is similar to that in younger patients and can be controlled by appropriate treatment. We evaluated the clinicopathological features of kidney biopsies from geriatric patients.

Materials and methods: One hundred nine native kidney biopsies from older patients (> 65 years old) obtained from 2005 to 2014 were evaluated retrospectively. The specimens were inspected by the same pathologist in the same laboratory by light microscopy and immunofluorescence.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 72.4 ± 7.8 years (range 65-90 years), and 51.3% were female. The most frequent indication for kidney biopsy was proteinuria at the nephrotic level (56.8%). The most frequent histopathological diagnoses were focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in primary glomerulonephritis and secondary amyloidosis in secondary glomerulonephritis. The rate of major complications due to kidney biopsy was < 1%.

Result: Kidney biopsy is an effective and safe method of evaluating renal parenchymal diseases in older patients.

Keywords: Complication; Geriatric; Glomerulonephritis; Kidney biopsy.