Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.) logoLink to British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
. 1981 Jan 10;282(6258):95–98. doi: 10.1136/bmj.282.6258.95

Beta 2-microglobulinaemia: a sensitive index of diminishing renal function in diabetics.

G C Viberti, H Keen, D Mackintosh
PMCID: PMC1503840  PMID: 6161671

Abstract

A sensitive single measure of diminishing renal function is of importance in attempts to modify the progression of diabetic nephropathy. In 12 insulin-dependent diabetics with proteinuria plasma concentrations of beta 2-microglobulin were found to correlate more closely than plasma creatinine concentrations or creatinine clearance with glomerular function as measured by clearance of 52Cr-EDTA. The plasma beta 2-microglobulin concentration was raised in all patients with diminished glomerular filtration rate (below 80 ml/min/1.73 m2). By contrast, in two of these patients plasma creatinine concentration was normal. Plasma beta 2-microglobulin concentrations were stable throughout the day and not affected by food intake, unlike plasma creatinine concentrations, which rose in the afternoon and evening and after a meat meal. Plasma beta 2-microglobulin concentrations were the same in venous and capillary blood, the capillary blood being readily self-collected. Concentrations of beta 2-microglobulin were stable for up to 24 hours when whole blood was stored at 4 degrees C; adding aprotinin inhibited loss of beta 2-microglobulin for up to seven days. The results of this study suggest, therefore, that measuring beta 2-microglobulin concentrations is a simple and accurate method of detecting minor degrees of renal impairment and monitoring the effects of treatment.

Full text

PDF
95

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Berggård I., Bearn A. G. Isolation and properties of a low molecular weight beta-2-globulin occurring in human biological fluids. J Biol Chem. 1968 Aug 10;243(15):4095–4103. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bernier G. M., Conrad M. E. Catabolsm of human beta-2-microglobulin by the rat kidney. Am J Physiol. 1969 Nov;217(5):1359–1362. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1969.217.5.1359. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chantler C., Barratt T. M. Estimation of glomerular filtration rate from plasma clearance of 51-chromium edetic acid. Arch Dis Child. 1972 Aug;47(254):613–617. doi: 10.1136/adc.47.254.613. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chantler C., Garnett E. S., Parsons V., Veall N. Glomerular filtration rate measurement in man by the single injection methods using 51Cr-EDTA. Clin Sci. 1969 Aug;37(1):169–180. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Conway T. P., Poilik M. D. Catabolism of rat beta2-microglobulin in the rat. J Lab Clin Med. 1977 Jun;89(6):1208–1214. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cresswell P., Springer T., Strominger J. L., Turner M. J., Grey H. M., Kubo R. T. Immunological identity of the small subunit of HL-A antigens and beta2-microglobulin and its turnover on the cell membrane. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 May;71(5):2123–2127. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.5.2123. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Evrin P. E., Peterson P. A., Wide L., Berggård I. Radioimmunoassay of 2 -microglobulin in human biological fluids. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1971 Dec;28(4):439–443. doi: 10.3109/00365517109095721. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Evrin P. E., Wibell L. The serum levels and urinary excretion of 2 -microglobulin in apparently healthy subjects. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1972 Feb;29(1):69–74. doi: 10.3109/00365517209081057. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hällgren R. Serum beta2-microglobulin in liver disease. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1979 Sep;39(5):441–447. doi: 10.3109/00365517909106129. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Jacobsen F. K., Christensen C. K., Mogensen C. E., Andreasen F., Heilskov N. S. Pronounced increase in serum creatinine concentration after eating cooked meat. Br Med J. 1979 Apr 21;1(6170):1049–1050. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6170.1049. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. KEEN H., CHLOUVERAKIS C. AN IMMUNOASSAY METHOD FOR URINARY ALBUMIN AT LOW CONCENTRATIONS. Lancet. 1963 Nov 2;2(7314):913–914. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(63)90620-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kithier K., Cejka J., Belamaric J., Al-Sarraf M., Peterson W. D., Jr, Vaitkevicius V. K., Poulik M. D. Beta2-microglobulin: occurrence in fetal life and malignancy. Clin Chim Acta. 1974 May 17;52(3):293–299. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(74)90113-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kult J., Lämmlein C., Röckel A., Heidland A. Beta2-Mikroglobulin im Serum--ein Parameter des Glomerulumfiltrates. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 1974 Aug 23;99(34):1686–1688. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1108030. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Manicourt D., Brauman H., Orloff S. Plasma and urinary levels of beta2 microglobulin in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1978 Aug;37(4):328–332. doi: 10.1136/ard.37.4.328. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Michalski J. P., Daniels T. E., Talal N., Grey H. M. Beta2 microglobulin and lymphocytic infiltration in Sjögren's syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1975 Dec 11;293(24):1228–1231. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197512112932404. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Nakamuro K., Tanigaki N., Pressman D. Multiple common properties of human beta2-microglobulin and the common portion fragment derived from HL-A antigen molecules. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 Oct;70(10):2863–2865. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.10.2863. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Pasternack A., Kuhlbäck B. Diurnal variations of serum and urine creatine and creatinine. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1971 Feb;27(1):1–7. doi: 10.3109/00365517109080181. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Peterson P. A., Evrin P. E., Berggård I. Differentiation of glomerular, tubular, and normal proteinuria: determinations of urinary excretion of beta-2-macroglobulin, albumin, and total protein. J Clin Invest. 1969 Jul;48(7):1189–1198. doi: 10.1172/JCI106083. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Pirart J. Diabète et complications dégénératives présentation d'une étude prospective portant sur 4400 cas observés entre 1947 et 1973. (Première partie). Diabete Metab. 1977 Jun;3(2):97–107. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Shuster J., Gold P., Poulik M. D. beta 2-microglogulin levels in cancerous and other disease states. Clin Chim Acta. 1976 Mar 15;67(3):307–313. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(76)90339-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Steffes M. W., Brown D. M., Mauer S. M. The development, enhancement, and reversal of the secondary complications of diabetes mellitus. Hum Pathol. 1979 May;10(3):293–299. doi: 10.1016/s0046-8177(79)80026-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Viberti G. C. Early functional and morphological changes in diabetic nephropathy. Clin Nephrol. 1979 Aug;12(2):47–53. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Wibell L., Evrin P. E., Berggård I. Serum 2 -microglobulin in renal disease. Nephron. 1973;10(5):320–331. doi: 10.1159/000180203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Wibell L. The serum level and urinary excretion of beta2-microglobulin in health and renal disease. Pathol Biol (Paris) 1978 Sep;26(6):295–301. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Medical Journal (Clinical research ed.) are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES