title: Kidney injury molecule-1 and microalbuminuria levels in Zambian population: biomarkers of kidney injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kidney injury affects renal excretion of plasma analytes and metabolic waste products with grave pathologic consequences. Early detection, thus of kidney injury is essential for injury specific intervention that may avert permanent renal damage and delay progression of kidney injury. We aimed to evaluate Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) and Microalbuminuria (MAU), as biomarkers of kidney injury, in comparison with creatinine.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the levels of urine MAU, urine KIM-1 and other plasma biochemical tests in specimens from 80 individuals with and without kidney disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no difference in KIM-1 levels between the kidney disease group (2.82± 1.36ng/mL) and controls (3.29 ± 1.14ng/mL), p = 0.122. MAU was higher in participants with kidney disease (130.809± 84.744 µg/mL) than the controls (15.983± 20.442µg/mL), p ?0.001. KIM-1 showed a weak negative correlation with creatinine (r = -0.279, p = 0.09), whereas MAU was positively correlated with creatinine in participants with kidney disease with statistical significance (r = 0.556, p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrated that in Zambian setting MAU and creatinine are sensitive biomarkers in the diagnosis of kidney damage. We moreover propose further evaluation of KIM-1 as a biomarker of kidney injury.
authors.affiliation: University of Zambia, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Kalundu, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Mildred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zulu
authors.affiliation: University of Zambia, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Kalundu, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaile
authors.affiliation: University Teaching Hospital, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Kalundu, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kantenga
authors.affiliation: University of Zambia, School of Medicine, KS-HHV8 Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Kalundu, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Chisanga
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chileshe
authors.affiliation: University of Zambia, School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Kalundu, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Panji
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nkhoma
authors.affiliation: University of Zambia, School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Kalundu, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Musalula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinkala
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D000072596:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015024:Zambia
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C491143:HAVCR1 protein, human; D000072596:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 1; D003404:Creatinine
keywords: Kidney injury molecule-1; creatinine; kidney disease; microalbumin; urea