Evaluation of Protocol Biopsy Utility 12 Months after Renal Transplantation: A Multicenter Observational Analysis

The clinical merit of surveillance kidney graft biopsies remains controversial. A retrospective, multicenter analysis evaluated 12-month surveillance biopsies (SB, 154 patients) versus no SB (NSB, 138 patients (11 with diagnostic biopsy)) in patients >18 months posttransplant with estimated GFR (eGFR) ≥30 mL/min. The primary objective was to describe renal function at 18 months post-transplant in patients with or without SB at month 12. Globally, most recipients in both cohorts were at low immunological risk (