ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the expression levels of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)and hepatocyte growth fac-tor(HGF)in the serum of patients with nephropathy and the relationship with renal fibrosis.Methods Levels of serum CTGF, HGF,blood urea nitrogen(BUN),creatinine(Cr)and Cystatin C(SCys C)in 87 patients with chronic nephropathy and 40 healthy persons(control group)were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and the automatic biochemical analyzer. The correlation of indexes like serum CTGF with glomerular sclerosis and renal tubule interstitial fibrosis score in patients with chronic nephropathy was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis.Results The levels of serum BUN,Cr and Cys-C and in patients with grade Ⅲ and grade Ⅳ chronic nephropathy were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).The levels of serum CTGF and HGF in patients with grade Ⅱ,grade Ⅲ and grade Ⅳ chronic nephropathy were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).For patients with gradeⅢ - Ⅳ chronic nephropathy,the levels of Cys-C and serum CTGF increased with the increase of grade(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum CTGF,HGF,BUN,Cr and Cys-C were signif-icantly positively correlated with glomerular sclerosis score and renal tubule interstitial fibrosis score(P<0.05).Conclusion Serum CTGF and HGF may be involved in the occurrence and renal fibrosis of chronic nephropathy.