title: The clinical significance of serum and urinary neopterin levels in several renal diseases.
abstract: Neopterin is a pyrazino-pyrimidine compound, and is known to be a marker associated with cell-mediated immunity in various diseases. We hypothesized that the levels of serum and urine neopterin would be elevated in renal disease, and would correlate with certain clinical parameters. We evaluated serum and urinary neopterin levels in patients with several renal diseases, including nephrotic syndrome (NS, n=19), chronic renal failure (CRF, n=8), end stage renal disease (ESRD, n=64) and controls (n=22). Serum neopterin was elevated in patients with CRF and ESRD, as compared to controls. Urinary neopterin levels were also found to be elevated in patients with CRF and ESRD, as compared to controls. Serum neopterin levels showed significant positive correlation with age, serum BUN and creatinine levels, and inverse correlation with WBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum albumin and total iron binding capacity. Urine neopterin levels exhibited positive correlation with age and serum creatinine levels, and inverse correlation with WBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, BUN and serum albumin. In conclusion, increased serum and urinary neopterin levels were found in some patients with renal disease and were correlated with certain clinical parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Jongro-gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lhee
authors.forename: Hyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwan Joong
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Soo Suk
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Kyu Beck
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000652:urine; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014280:Triglycerides; D019798:Neopterin; D003404:Creatinine