Effects of GDF-15 Level in Patients with Membranous Nephropathy

Abstract

Objective: Nephrotic syndrome is the most frequent cause of membranous nephropathy (MN) in adults. Growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15 is a cytokine released under stress and associated with increased incidence of chronic kidney disease and/or decreased renal function in conditions such as diabetic nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, lupus nephritis, and primary MN. The diagnosis of MN is made by biopsy, which is an invasive procedure. A non-invasive biomarker is needed for timely and risk-free diagnosis. This study aimed to estimate the GDF-15 level in patients with MN to determine if it can be used as a noninvasive biomarker for the diagnosis of MN. Materials and Methods: The study included 88 patients with MN. Sera were obtained from peripheral blood collected from the patients. GDF-15 levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: GDF-15 level was high in older patients that in younger patients. The glomerular filtration rate was low in patients with increased GDF-15 levels. Furthermore, a decrease in GDF-15 levels was observed in patients in remission. Conclusion: GDF-15 level may be used as a biomarker to predict the progression of MN rather than a diagnostic biomarker.

Keywords

• Membranous nephropathy
• GDF-15
• ELISA

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