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Acute and chronic kidney disease
1Division of Nephrology, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
|May 23, 1998
Summary
Older adults with renal diseases often present similarly to younger patients and deserve thorough investigation. Their response to treatment warrants comprehensive evaluation, including kidney biopsy when necessary.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Geriatric Medicine
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Renal disease presentation in older adults is often misattributed to aging.
- Geriatric patients frequently exhibit similar symptoms and clinical findings to younger individuals with kidney disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To emphasize the need for thorough investigation of renal diseases in older adults.
- To advocate for comprehensive evaluation, including renal biopsy, for geriatric patients with kidney conditions.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical presentations and treatment responses in older adults with renal diseases.
- Analysis of diagnostic approaches, including the role of renal biopsy.
- Ethical considerations in managing renal disease in the elderly.
Main Results:
- Symptoms and findings of renal diseases in older adults are often similar to younger patients.
- Older adults respond to treatment comparably to younger patients, supporting aggressive investigation.
- Renal biopsy is a valuable diagnostic tool when indicated in geriatric patients.
Conclusions:
- Older adults with renal diseases warrant comprehensive investigation and treatment, similar to younger populations.
- Clinical decisions regarding evaluation, treatment, and dialysis should be based on ethical principles.
- Misattribution of renal disease symptoms to aging should be avoided in geriatric care.