Spot urine protein to creatinine ratio.

In a recent article in Pediatric Nephrology, EM Yang and colleagues (Pediatr Nephrol 2017: doi: 10.1007/s00467-016-3587-6 ) published a retrospective cross-sectional study involving a cohort of 442 children with an mean estimated glomerular filtration rate of >60 mL/min/1.73 m2. The authors measured 24-h urine protein excretion (24-h UProt) alongside the morning spot urine protein to creatinine ratio (Prot/Cr) in this group of patients. While the Prot/Cr may be the only feasible way to routinely estimate the daily protein excretion of a young child, inter-individual variability in childrens' urinary creatinine excretion (UCr) may heavily influence the result. The authors sought to determine which equation was the most accurate in predicting UCr. Not only did they discover that the adult Cockcroft-Gault equation worked best, they also found that multiplying the Prot/Cr by the estimated UCr significantly improved the accuracy of the 24-h UProt estimate. In this editorial we discuss both the strengths and limitations of the study by EM Yang and colleagues. We also highlight the importance of adhering to internationally agreed upon reporting guidelines such as the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement.

Minimum mycophenolic acid levels are associated with donor-specific antibody formation.

Although de novo DSA are associated with inferior graft survival, there are no effective strategies to prevent their formation. Underexposure to MPA (prodrug: MMF) also contributes to rejection rates early after transplantation, but the effect of this phenomenon on the formation of DSA long-term post-transplantation is unknown. Data are expressed as mean (standard deviation). All available data from 32 renal transplant recipients (age at transplantation 7.5 [4.5] yr) on tacrolimus and MPA immunosuppression with an average follow-up of 9.4 (s.d. 4.6) yr were analyzed. DSA were measured using the Luminex assay (>500 MFI was considered DSA-positive). Tacrolimus and MPA levels were measured with the Abbot Tacro II and EMIT assay, respectively. Among 1964 MPA and 3462 tacrolimus trough levels, the average MPA trough level was 3.2 (1.5) mg/L and the average tacrolimus level was 6.7 (2.8) ng/mL. At last follow-up, only 5/32 patients had undetectable DSA, with 5/32 having no class I antibodies and 6/32 having no class II antibodies. DSA formation was associated with a lower minimum MPA trough level (0.27 [0.23] vs. 0.47 [0.18] mg) and cystatin C eGFR (48 [21] vs. 70 [23] mL/min/1.73 m(2)) for class I DSA formers. The average eGFR of patients without class I DSA was 70 (23) mL/min/1.73 m(2), whereas the average eGFR of patients with class I DSA was 48 (21) mL/min/1.73 m(2) (p = 0.0071). MPA trough levels <1.3 mg/L long-term post-transplantation are associated with the formation of DSA. The association between the formation of DSA and minimum MPA exposure may support a strategy for preventing the formation of DSA.

Using individual DSA titers to assess for accommodation after late humoral rejection.

Management of late humoral rejection remains challenging, and DSA may persist. A case report illustrates how individual DSA titers using solid-phase-based assays may help to assess for accommodation. A male cystinosis patient received a cadaveric renal transplant at the age of 12 yr with a daclizumab, tacrolimus, MMF, and steroids-based immunosuppression. After three acute rejection episodes over the first eight months, interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IF/TA) was diagnosed on biopsy, while the immunosuppression was left unchanged with a high target exposure for both tacrolimus and MPA. One yr later, AMR type III (C4d and DSA positive) was treated with daily plasmapheresis, IVIG 100 mg/kg and pulse steroids 5 mg/kg. DSA (DR 53, DQ4, and DQ 2) were not responding until the plasma volume was increased to 2.5 plasma volumes. A second rise of creatinine confirmed worse humoral rejection; daily plasma exchange was resumed, and two doses of rituximab (375 mg/m(2)) were given. Subsequently, all DSA dropped, but only DR53 DSA remained unchanged, whereas the DQ antibodies rebounded to very strong titers. With a follow-up of over 120 days after recovery of the CD19 count, off all additional treatment and on identical immunosuppression with tacrolimus and MMF and prednisone, the patient's creatinine remained stable between 45 and 50 um while DQ DSA remain strong to very strong. We conclude that the patient is in a state of accommodation. DSA titers should be monitored when managing late humoral rejection.

ACE levels may affect cystatin C measurements.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) levels and cystatin C in a patient with the presumed diagnosis of sarcoidosis. DESIGN AND METHODS: Case report with correlation analysis between ACE levels and cystatin C concentrations while considering gold-standard nuclear medicine glomerular filtration rate (GFR) methods for the measurement of renal function. RESULTS: We observed a strong correlation between ACE levels and cystatin C concentration in 12-year old with the presumed diagnosis of sarcoidosis in the absence of renal pathology and abnormal renal function. CONCLUSION: Elevated ACE levels may cause non-specific cystatin C elevation irrespective of GFR.

Impaired GFR is the most important determinant for FGF-23 increase in chronic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVES: It is unclear whether fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) increases in response to phosphate accumulation or to decrease clearance in chronic kidney disease (CKD) as is the case with other low molecular weight proteins such as cystatin C (CysC). DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study measured serum FGF-23, CysC, and other serum markers of bone metabolism in 69 patients, aged 18 months-24 years, with various stages of CKD (eGFR=11-214mL/min). RESULTS: FGF-23 levels were significantly correlated with CysC and parathyroid hormone levels (PTH) on univariate non-linear regression analysis. In multivariate linear regression analysis, log (CysC) (ß=0.660, p<0.0001), log (PTH) (ß=0.038, p=0.37), and phosphate (ß=0.222, p=0.028) explained 69.1% of the variance of FGF-23. CONCLUSIONS: CysC had the largest unique contribution to FGF-23 variance in this model, supporting the hypothesis that renal clearance may be the most responsible factor for elevated FGF-23 levels in early stages of CKD.