title: Serum levels of alpha-1 microglobulin in recipients of renal allografts.
abstract: Serum levels of alpha 1 microglobulin (s-alpha 1 m) in 92 recipients of renal transplants were elevated during pretransplant uremia (P less than 0.001), acute rejection (P less than 0.01), and cyclosporin-induced nephrotoxicity (P less than 0.01). In patients with stable renal function, those treated with cyclosporin had higher s-alpha 1 m than those receiving azathioprine: 81 +/- 4 and 64 +/- 3 mg/l (mean +/- SEM), respectively (P less than 0.05). The serum creatinine levels were 127 +/- 5 and 115 +/- 7 mumol/l (mean +/- SEM), respectively (N.S.). Two of the patients with normal serum creatinine had normal s-alpha 1m levels. There were positive linear correlations between s-alpha 1m and serum creatinine levels during stable renal function, rejection, cyclosporin-induced nephrotoxicity, and cytomegalovirus infections (r = 0.7-0.8, P less than 0.01-0.001) and between s-alpha 1m and beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2m) during the same conditions (r = 0.5-0.8, P less than 0.01-0.001). During infections, serum creatinine and beta 2m increased (P less than 0.001), but s-alpha 1m did not. S-alpha 1m values did not distinguish between rejection and cyclosporin-induced nephrotoxicity. It is concluded that s-alpha 1m might be a valuable complement to serum creatinine levels in the evaluation of renal function in renal transplant recipients.
authors: Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Bäckman
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Ringdén
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Dati
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000633:toxicity; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D003524:Cyclosporins; C016001:alpha-1-microglobulin; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D003404:Creatinine