Utility of percutaneous renal biopsy in chronic kidney disease.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that patterns of serum creatinine concentrations (S-cr) prior to percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) predict the utility of PRB in safely making renal diagnoses, revealing treatable disease, and altering therapy in chronic kidney disease patients.

Methods: PRB specimens (170 patients) were assigned to 1 of 5 groups: S-cr never greater than 0.11 mM for at least 6 months prior to PRB (Group 1); S-cr greater than 0.