title: Urine- and serum beta 2-microglobulin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a study of 101 patients without signs of kidney disease.
abstract: Serum levels and 24-hour urinary excretion of beta 2-Microglobulin (beta 2-M) was investigated in a group of 101 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), without any other signs of renal disease in past or present, and in a comparable control group. Elevated 24-hour urinary beta 2-M excretion, due to renal proximal tubules dysfunction, was observed in 19% of the patients and not in the control group. There was a significant correlation with clinical signs of extra-articular RA. It is postulated that the observed increase may be an early symptom of renal involvement in RA. Elevated serum beta 2 levels, corrected for glomerular filtration rate, were observed in 44% of the RA patients and only in 3% of the control group and correlated with clinical signs of a more severe RA, as well as with increased 24-hour urinary beta 2-M excretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Zuiderziekenhuis, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Viergever
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Swaak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin