Proteinuria after human renal transplantation. I. Urinary excretion of alpha-2-microglobulin (retinol-binding protein), beta-2-microglobulin, lysozyme and albumin.

Abstract

With the use of the protein/creatinine clearance ratio (CP/Ccr), calculated from immunochemical determinations of α2-microglobulin (retinol-binding protein), &microglobulin, lysozyme and albumin, proteinuria was studied during the early course of human renal transplantation. When substantial changes of creatinine clearance (Ccr) occurred, an inverse relationship was found between Ccr and Cp/Ccr for all four proteins. An exception was seen during the first days of six acute rejection crises, where opposite changes were observed in Cr/Ccr for albumin and the low molecular weight proteins. A slight but significant increase of albumin excretion related to Ccr was found during and after rejection crises, but for none of the proteins did the changes in Cr/Ccr precede other signs of acute rejection crisis.The value of different methods expressing proteinuria after renal transplantation is discussed. It is concluded that more precise information is gained by calculating Cp/Ccr for specific proteins, as this param...