title: Normoalbuminaemia is associated with IgA nephropathy in primary glomerulopathy with nephrotic-range proteinuria in Chinese patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Massive proteinuria is often associated with hypoalbuminaemia in glomerulopathy. However, patients may have normal levels of serum albumin despite heavy proteinuria in many circumstances. This study analysed factors affecting serum levels of albumin in primary glomerulopathy patients with nephrotic-range proteinuria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The renal histopathological data of 780 consecutive adult patients (age ≥ 18 years old) with primary glomerulopathy and nephrotic-range proteinuria, who received native renal biopsies in Peking University First Hospital from 1998 to 2007, were retrospectively analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with patients with hypoalbuminaemia (serum albumin < 30 g/L), patients without hypoalbuminaemia were significantly younger (P < 0.001) and had significantly lower levels of proteinuria (P < 0.001). Patients without hypoalbuminaemia had a significantly higher proportion of IgA nephropathy (66.0% vs. 17.2%, P < 0.001). The independent predictors of hypoalbuminaemia in nephrotic-range proteinuria patients included age, gender, interval between onset of the disease and renal biopsy, proteinuria level, and pathological type of glomerulopathy. A serum level of albumin ≥ 35 g/L could predict IgA nephropathy with a specificity of 95.8%, and specificity increased with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients with primary glomerulopathy and nephrotic-range proteinuria, normoalbuminaemia is associated with IgA nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fu-de
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ming-hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hai-yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin