Safety of kidney biopsy in elderly: a prospective study

Kidney biopsy plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of several renal diseases. There is a general reluctance to perform kidney biopsy in elderly due to fear of complications. There is no prospective head to head trial comparing complications of percutaneous kidney biopsy in elderly versus young. This prospective study was undertaken to know the frequency and type of biopsy related complications in elderly. Biopsy was performed using a spring loaded automatic 16 G biopsy gun. Post-biopsy, patients were confined to bed rest for 24 h. A record of intraprocedural problems and post-procedural complications was kept. A total of 210 native kidney biopsies were done of which 26 were performed in elderly patients (61–78 years). Co-morbid conditions were present in 17 patients, some having more than one, hypertension (11), diabetes mellitus (5), chronic obstructive airway disease (6), interstitial lung disease (2) and coronary artery disease (2). Mean serum creatinine was 5.6 mg/dl (range 0.8–14.1 mg/dl). Pre-biopsy dialysis was given to 10 patients. Adequate tissue for histopathological diagnosis was seen in 24 out of 26 biopsies. In two elderly patients biopsy had to be abandoned though indicated due to inability to hold the breath because of underlying lung and cardiac disease. Clinico-pathologic discorrelation was seen in eight patients. Incidence of gross hematuria was more in elderly than in young (4/26 vs. 7/184 P < 0.01). Hematuria subsided within 1–2 days in three, one had persistent hematuria for 1 week. Other complications viz. gross hematuria with need of blood transfusions or hemodynamic compromise (0/26 vs. 4/184), perinephric hematoma (0/26 vs. 1/184) and need of intervention (0/26 vs. 1/184) were not higher in the elderly. We conclude that the standard precautions kidney biopsy in elderly is a safe procedure.