Serum uromodulin as a marker of kidney graft function.

Aim: Serum uromodulin (sURO) was recently found as a sensitive tubular marker in early chronic kidney disease stages. Thus far, mainly early uromodulin urinary excretion was tested in kidney recipients. The aim of our study was to conduct a long-lastinlong-term assessment of sURO in kidney graft function monitoring. Material/Methods: Forty-one stable kidney recipients (aged 47 (13.7)) were studied around the 3rd month (3m) and the 2nd year (2y) after kidney transplantation. Sera were tested for sURO, creatinine and tacrolimus levels. Kidney biopsy was scored according to revised Banff 97 classification. Results: sURO level (mean 66.06ng/ml at 3m; 77.81 at 2y) increased borderline significantly (P = 0.051) in time and significantly correlated with eGFR (3m RS = 0.46; 2y RS = 0.58), creatinine levels (RS respectively -0.55 and -0.56) and donor age (3m Rs = -0.33; 2y RS = -0.41). We observed borderline correlations between sURO and Banff biopsy scoring: 3m-sURO with arteriolar hyalinosis-ah (RS = -0.3, P = 0.06) and 2y-sURO with peritubular capillaritis-ptc (RS = 0.45, P = 0.07). Correlations of sURO with 3m tacrolimus levels (Rs = 0.3, P = 0.08) were borderline, however patients with CNI toxicity lesions in biopsy had sURO significantly lower (mean 3m-sURO 52.7 vs 83.1 ng/ml; 2y-sURO 61.9 vs 98.1 ng/ml). Conclusions: sURO can reflect kidney graft quality and function. sURO correlated with ptc, which is considered to be an early marker of a chronic antibody-mediated graft injury. Tacrolimus doesn't influence sURO levels directly, but sURO is lower in patients with toxic kidney injury in biopsy. sURO can reflect kidney graft quality and function. sURO correlated with ptc, which is considered to be an early marker of a chronic antibody-mediated graft injury. Tacrolimus doesn't influence sURO levels directly, but sURO is lower in patients with toxic kidney injury in biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]