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BK virus-associated nephropathy: neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a new diagnostic tool?
- Source :
- Clinical transplantation. 27(2)
- Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Introduction BK nephropathy has emerged as an important cause for allograft failure in renal transplant patients. The kidney tubules are the main target of BK virus infiltration. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has been proven to be a powerful biomarker for tubular damage. Therefore, we investigated the suitability of plasma NGAL as new diagnostic tool in patients with BK infection. Material and methods We retrospectively analyzed 240 renal transplant recipients. Systematic BKV screening by plasma PCR was performed one month after transplantation and every three month thereafter for two yr. Plasma NGAL concentration was investigated using a commercial ELISA. Medical records and electronic databases were reviewed for clinical parameters. Results BK viremia (BKV+) was diagnosed in 5.0% (12/240) and BK nephropathy in 3.3% (8/240) of our patients. BKV+ patients received more induction therapy (p = 0.03) and experienced a higher rate of biopsy-proven rejections compared to 13 control patients with similar graft function but negative BKV PCR. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no difference in plasma NGAL expression between both groups (128.6 vs. 172.2 ng/mL; p = 0.68). Conclusions Intensified immunosuppressive therapy is associated with an increased risk for BK nephropathy. Plasma NGAL is neither suitable for diagnosing BK nephropathy nor helpful in predicting the individual course of patients with BKV infection.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Urology
Viremia
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Lipocalin
Opportunistic Infections
medicine.disease_cause
Nephropathy
Cohort Studies
Postoperative Complications
Lipocalin-2
Proto-Oncogene Proteins
medicine
Humans
Kidney transplantation
Retrospective Studies
Immunosuppression Therapy
Transplantation
Polyomavirus Infections
business.industry
Case-control study
Acute-phase protein
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Kidney Transplantation
Lipocalins
BK virus
Tumor Virus Infections
BK Virus
Case-Control Studies
Immunology
Female
Kidney Diseases
business
Biomarkers
Acute-Phase Proteins
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13990012
- Volume :
- 27
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Clinical transplantation
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....f2b0b1aa24fb736b0642e71c06ee0588