URINARY TISSUE FACTOR IN GLOMERULONEPHRITIS - A POTENTIAL MARKER OF GLOMERULAR INJURY

Aims-To investigate the significance of urinary tissue factor (uTF) co ncentrations in patients with glomerulonephritis. Methods-Urine sample s were collected from normal subjects (n = 57), patients with uncompli cated renal stones (n = 30), and patients with glomerulonephritis (n = 150). Samples were then centrifuged and the pellets solubilised in n- octyl-beta-glucopyranoside. uTF concentrations were determined using a one stage kinetic chromogenic assay. Results-The uTF concentration wa s higher in patients with glomerulonephritis than in normal controls ( p < 0.01) or in patients with renal stones (p < 0.05). uTF activity co rrelated with the protein creatinine index (PCI, r = 0.41, p < 0.001) and seven patients with glomerulonephritis and a PCI less than or equa l to 0.1 g/mmol had raised uTF. Glomerulonephritis patients were subdi vided into two groups depending on the PCI: < 0.2 g/mmol creatinine (m ild to moderate proteinuria, group I) and greater than or equal to 0.2 g/mmol creatinine (heavy proteinuria, group II). In group I, uTF conc entrations were higher in patients with either immune complex (IC) glo merulonephritis (p < 0.01) or non-IC (p < 0.05) glomerulonephritis tha n in normal controls. In group II, the IC glomerulonephritis group had higher uTF concentrations than normal controls (p < 0.001) or patient s with renal stones (p < 0.01); and non-IC glomerulonephritis patients had higher uTF than normal controls (p < 0.01). When the glomerulonep hritis groups were divided into broad WHO subtypes, the significance l evel varied with the type of glomerulonephritis. Conclusions-uTF is in creased in patients with glomerulonephritis, and its concentration may reflect the aetiopathogenesis of glomerulonephritis.