The association between age and nephrosclerosis on renal biopsy among healthy adults.
BACKGROUND
Chronic kidney disease is common with older age and is characterized on renal biopsy by global glomerulosclerosis, tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and arteriosclerosis.


OBJECTIVE
To see whether the prevalence of these histologic abnormalities in the kidney increases with age in healthy adults and whether histologic findings are explained by age-related differences in kidney function or chronic kidney disease risk factors.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, from 1999 to 2009.


METHODS
1203 adult living kidney donors.


METHODS
Core-needle biopsy of the renal cortex obtained during surgical implantation of the kidney, and medical record data of kidney function and risk factors obtained before donation.


RESULTS
The prevalence of nephrosclerosis (> or =2 chronic histologic abnormalities) was 2.7% (95% CI, 1.1% to 6.7%) for patients aged 18 to 29 years, 16% (CI, 12% to 20%) for patients aged 30 to 39 years, 28% (CI, 24% to 32%) for patients aged 40 to 49 years, 44% (CI, 38% to 50%) for patients aged 50 to 59 years, 58% (CI, 47% to 67%) for patients aged 60 to 69 years, and 73% (CI, 43% to 90%) for patients aged 70 to 77 years. Adjustment for kidney function and risk factor covariates did not explain the age-related increase in the prevalence of nephrosclerosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Kidney donors are selected for health and lack the spectrum or severity of renal pathologic findings in the general population.


CONCLUSIONS
Kidney function and chronic kidney disease risk factors do not explain the strong association between age and nephrosclerosis in healthy adults.


BACKGROUND
National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service.
Rule
Andrew D
AD
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Amer
Hatem
H
Cornell
Lynn D
LD
Taler
Sandra J
SJ
Cosio
Fernando G
FG
Kremers
Walter K
WK
Textor
Stephen C
SC
Stegall
Mark D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology; D001284:Atrophy; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology; D019520:Living Donors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009400:Nephrosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult