Clinicopathological role of kidney injury molecule-1 in immunoglobulin A nephropathy

• Published in: Kidney research and clinical practice 2014, 33(3), , pp.139-143
• Main Authors: Lee, Yu Ho, Kim, Yang-Gyun, Lee, Sang-Ho, Moon, Ju-Young, Jeong, Kyung-Hwan, Lee, Tae-Won, Ihm, Chun-Gyoo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: IgA nephropathy; Kidney biomarkers; Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1); Nephrology; Original; 내과학
• ISSN: 2211-9132; 2211-9140
• DOI: 10.1016/j.krcp.2014.07.004

Abstract Background Urinary kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) is an early and sensitive biomarker of acute kidney injury, but it is unclear if it is a biomarker of chronic glomerulonephritis. We evaluated whether urinary KIM-1 levels in patients with immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy can be a marker to reflect clinicopathological severity and predict the prognosis. Methods We measured urinary KIM-1 levels in 40 patients (15 males; mean age 36.6±12.9 years) with IgA nephropathy and 10 healthy people (5 males; mean age 37.3±9.6 years) as controls. The correlation of urinary KIM-1 levels with patients’ clinical parameters, histological grades, and follow-up data were analyzed using the modified H. S. Lee grading system and tubulointerstitial change scores. Results Urinary KIM-1 levels were higher in patients with IgA nephropathy than healthy controls ( P =0.001). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that urinary KIM-1 levels had a direct correlation with H. S. Lee grade and tubulointerstitial inflammation ( P =0.004 and P =0.011, respectively). Conclusion In patients with IgA nephropathy, urinary KIM-1 has a significant correlation with histopathologic severity.