Value of urinary α1-microglobulin and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase/urinary creatinine in monitoring early renal injury in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus-related liver diseases / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the value of urinary α1-microglobulin (α1-MG) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase/urinary creatinine (NAG/UCr) in monitoring renal injury in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver diseases. Methods A total of 85 patients with HBV-related liver diseases who attended The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from August 2019 to August 2020 were enrolled, and according to the history of treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUC), they were divided into NUC treatment group with 57 patients and non-NUC treatment group with 28 patients; according to the type of NUC used, the NUC treatment group was further divided into entecavir (ETV) treatment group with 32 patients and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) treatment group with 25 patients; according to the results of HBV serum antigen and antibody markers, the patients were divided into HBeAg-negative group with 57 patients and HBeAg-positive group with 28 patients; according to the results of serum HBV DNA quantification, the patients were divided into HBV DNA-negative group with 47 patients and HBV DNA-positive group with 38 patients; according to abdominal imaging findings, the patients were divided into non-liver cirrhosis group with 47 patients and liver cirrhosis group with 38 patients. The data on medical history and laboratory markers were collected for comparison between two groups. The t -test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of data with skewed distribution between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The McNemar test was used to compare the diagnostic merit of each index; a Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of each factor with α1-MG, and NAG/UCr; the multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the independent influencing factors for α1-MG and NAG/UCr. Results The non-NUC treatment group, the HBeAg-positive group, and the HBV DNA-positive group had significantly higher levels of urinary α1-MG than the NUC treatment group ( Z =-2.054, P =0.04), the HBeAg-negative group ( Z =-2.293, P =0.022), and the HBV DNA-negative group ( Z =-2.229, P =0.026), respectively. The HBV DNA-positive group and the liver cirrhosis group had significantly higher levels of NAG and NAG/UCr than the HBV DNA-negative group ( Z =-2.908 and -2.824, both P < 0.05) and the non-liver cirrhosis group ( Z =-3.204 and -3.412, both P < 0.05), respectively. There was a significant difference in the proportion of patients with abnormal α1-MG and that of patients with abnormal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (31.8% vs 20.0%, χ 2 =7.178, P =0.007), and the proportion of patients with abnormal α1-MG and NAG/UCr was significantly higher than that of patients with abnormal eGFR (35.3% vs 20.0%, χ 2 =8.049, P =0.005). There was a significant difference in diagnostic merit between α1-MG+NAG/UCr and eGFR ( P =0.015). Age ( β =0.246, P < 0.05), positive HBeAg ( β =0.284, P < 0.01), and liver cancer ( β =0.291, P < 0.01) were independent risk factors for the increase in α1-MG, while the increase in FIB-4 value ( β =0.352, P < 0.05), ascites ( β =0.260, P < 0.05), esophagogastric varices( β =-0.248, P < 0.05), positive HBV DNA ( β =0.197, P < 0.05), and high total bilirubin ( β =0.257, P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for the increase in NAG/UCr. Conclusion In patients with chronic HBV-related liver diseases, renal injury may occur during the whole course of active viral replication, liver cirrhosis, and deterioration of liver function. Antiviral therapy with NUC can alleviate renal impairment caused by HBV and is safe and reliable within a certain course of treatment. Combined measurement of urinary α1-MG and NAG/UCr has more advantages over eGFR in the diagnosis of early renal injury, and it is an effective method for renal function monitoring in patients with chronic HBV-related liver diseases.