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The following is a summary of “Norwegian kidney biopsy biobank (NorKiBB): organization, baseline characteristics, and generalizability of a low-cost national biobank,” published in the February 2025 issue of BMC Nephrology by Øvrehus et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study on a low-cost national kidney biopsy biobank. The biobank stores blood, urine, and kidney tissue, providing a feasible resource for nephrology research. 

They conducted a multi-center, prospective cohort study with 8 Norwegian hospitals starting September 2020. Patients referred for routine native kidney biopsies were eligible. Medical history and risk factors were collected in an encrypted online database by treating nephrologists. Blood and urine tests were analyzed in the clinical routine and registered with the histology report. Extra urine and blood samples were collected, aliquoted, and prepared locally within 2 hours, frozen at -80°C, and later sent to a central government-funded biorepository with remaining kidney biopsy material. 

The results showed that 633 patients were included by September 2023 out of 1,050 eligible. The mean age was 52.6 years (SD 18.7), with 384 (61%) men. The mean eGFR was 53 mL/min/1.73m². The most frequent biopsy indications were progressive CKD of unknown cause, acute kidney disease, and isolated hematuria/proteinuria. The most common diagnoses were IgA nephropathy (21%), arterionephrosclerosis (13%), and diabetic nephropathy (9%). Biopsy indications and diagnoses were similar to those seen in Norway and other western countries. 

Investigators established a large national kidney biopsy biobank across various diagnoses. Blood, urine, and kidney tissue were stored at a moderate cost due to a dedicated nephrology workforce and routine care. 

Source: bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-025-04007-4