Original Paper

Serum High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Is Not Increased in Patients with IgA Nephropathy
Joo Eun Baek^a, Jai Won Chang^a, Won Ki Min^b, Yong Mee Cho^c, Jung Sik Park^a, Soon Bae Kim^a

Departments of
^aInternal Medicine,
^bLaboratory Medicine, and
^cPathology, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea

Address of Corresponding Author

Nephron Clin Pract 2008;108:c35-c40 (DOI: 10.1159/000112527)

  Key Words

• C-reactive protein
• IgA nephropathy
• Glomerulonephritis

  Abstract

Background/Aims: The development of renal injury in glomerulonephritis (GN) has been related to systemic inflammatory mediators. We investigated whether serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a marker reflecting the inflammatory pathogenesis of primary GN. Methods: We compared serum hs-CRP levels in 192 patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), 43 patients with membranous nephropathy (MN), and 25 patients with minimal change disease (MCD) undergoing kidney biopsy and 638 matched controls. Results: There were no differences in hs-CRP levels between controls (median 0.08 mg/dl; range 0.03-1.87 mg/dl) and patients with IgAN (0.08 mg/dl; 0.03-3.13 mg/dl), MN (0.07 mg/dl; 0.03-0.99 mg/dl) or MCD (0.08 mg/dl; 0.03-1.75 mg/dl). In patients with IgAN, hs-CRP levels did not differ according to Haas' pathological subclasses or subsequent renal outcomes. In the IgAN group, hs-CRP showed positive correlations with IgA, uric acid, systolic blood pressure, BMI and age. Hs-CRP level was significantly higher in male than in female IgAN patients. Serum IgA concentration was the strongest independent correlate with hs-CRP levels, and gender and BMI were also independently associated with hs-CRP. There were no correlations between hs-CRP and markers of disease activity. Conclusion: It is likely that hs-CRP does not closely reflect inflammatory pathogenesis in patients with IgAN, MN and MCD.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Soon Bae Kim, MD
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Ulsan College of Medicine
388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736 (Korea)
Tel. +82 2 3010 3264, Fax +82 2 3010 6963, E-Mail sbkim@amc.seoul.kr

  Article Information

Received: December 14, 2006
Accepted: September 16, 2007
Published online: December 17, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 18