title: Fetuin-A pretransplant serum levels, kidney allograft function and rejection episodes: a 3-year posttransplantation follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fetuin-A is a negative acute-phase protein, which acts as a potent calcification inhibitor and an antagonist of transforming growth factor-β. Thus, fetuin-A levels are influenced by chronic inflammation and actively affect fibrosis and calcification processes, respectively. Graft rejection, interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy, chronic inflammation and calcification are common causes for kidney allograft loss. This study evaluated whether pretransplant fetuin-A levels predict long-term graft survival and rejection episodes in patients after kidney transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 206 renal transplant recipients pretransplant fetuin-A levels were measured in serum by ELISA. During the 36 months' active follow-up (median 1,249 days) 13 patients died (94% patient survival) and renal allograft failure was reported in 18 patients (91% graft survival).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pretransplant fetuin-A levels did not differ among patients with incident graft failures as compared to patients with functional graft after long-term follow-up or rejection episodes (fetuin-A: 393.6 ± 46 vs. 384.4 ± 69 vs. 405 ± 27.4 μg/ml). In logistic regression analysis, pretransplant fetuin-A levels did not correlate with graft failure after 3 years' follow-up (p = 0.895). In COX regression analysis, fetuin-A levels were not associated with the time to graft loss. Moreover, fetuin-A levels correlated neither with renal and metabolic parameters nor with cellular or humoral rejection episodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pretransplant levels of fetuin-A are not a predictor for renal allograft loss or rejection episodes after 36 months' follow-up in transplant recipients.
authors: Department of Nephrology, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. marphiro@hotmail.com
authors: Marcel
authors: M
authors: Roos
authors: Falko M
authors: FM
authors: Heinemann
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Lindemann
authors: Peter A
authors: PA
authors: Horn
authors: Jens
authors: J
authors: Lutz
authors: Konrad
authors: K
authors: Stock
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Thürmel
authors: Marcus
authors: M
authors: Baumann
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Witzke
authors: Uwe
authors: U
authors: Heemann