title: Urinary levels of epidermal growth factor, interleukin-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 may act as predictor markers of renal function outcome in immunoglobulin A nephropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Urinary cytokine excretion may reflect histological changes in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), and their measurement can give information about disease outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three IgAN patients were prospectively followed for 5.6 +/- 3.1 years. Urinary levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6 and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were measured at diagnosis and repeated 1 year later for IL-6 and EGF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Urinary MCP-1 and IL-6 levels were increased significantly, while EGF excretion reduced in IgAN patients, compared to controls. IL-6 urinary levels showed significant positive correlation with chronic histological lesions. Patients were classified into five groups, according to the Haas classification system. MCP-1 and IL-6 urinary levels were increased, whereas EGF levels were reduced in the progression of staging. EGF urinary excretion was a strong predictor factor of disease outcome, significantly correlated with creatinine clearance at time of diagnosis (r = 0.5, P = 0.005), and at the end of follow up (r = 0.6, P = 0.001). Urinary EGF levels measured a year later could predict long-term outcome better, and a cut of 0.05 pg/mg urine creatinine levels could distinguish between progressors and non-progressors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urinary MCP-1, IL-6 and EGF levels may represent histology in IgAN. EGF excretion can be a predictive marker and its serial measurements may give information about disease outcome and the effect of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. mstangou@math.com
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stangou
authors.forename: Efstathios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papagianni
authors.forename: Afroditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pantzaki
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bantis
authors.forename: Spiros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dovas
authors.forename: Domniki
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Economidou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leontsini
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Memmos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000652:urine*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000652:urine*; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor