Albumin and beta 2-microglobulin radioimmunoassays applied to monitoring of renal-allograft function and in differentiating glomerular and tubular diseases.
Blood and urine were samples daily from 11 renal-allograft recipients from one to six weeks after the transplant. Clearances of both albumin (Calb) and beta2-microglobulin (C beta 2 mu) were significantly increased in all 11 patients. Five patients (Group I) with acute allograft rejection showed markedly increased Calb and moderately increased C beta 2 mu, concurrent with decreased creatinine clearance (CCr). Five other patients (Group II) with no evidence of rejection demonstrated episodes of grossly increased C beta 2 mu with minimally increased but stable Calb and normal CCr. One patient had no evidence of rejection nor indications of glomerular or tubular proteinuria. While changes in serum beta 2-microglobulin concentration closely paralleled those of serum creatinine in the Group II patients, the results diverged in the Group I patients because the increase in serum beta 2-microglobulin exceeded that of serum creatinine and preceded the increased in creatinine by one to five days, suggesting that measurement of serum beta 2-microglobulin might afford earlier indication of the nature and extent of renal damage in the allograft recipients.
D001609:Beta-Globulins / Q000032:analysis*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
D001609:Beta-Globulins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D003404:Creatinine