Urinary TGF-1 has a supplementary value in predicting renal function recovery post unilateral ureteral obstruction

To evaluate whether urine transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) can help identifying kidneys that would recover their function after drainage of unilateral ureteric obstructive.

Forty-five patients with unilateral ureteral obstruction were included. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of the obstructed kidney was <10 ml/min, and all patients were treated with percutaneous nephrostomy. TGF-β1 level was measured in the urine from the obstructed kidney at the time of drainage. GFR before nephrostomy insertion and 3 months after were calculated.

Patients with renal function improvement (significant increase in GFR) after nephrostomy insertion had significantly lower concentration of urine TGF-β1 (p<0.05) compared with the group that showed no change in GFR (non-functioning kidneys) The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of urine TGF-β1 in identifying non-functioning kidney was 82, 82 and 82%, respectively.

Urine TGF-β1 is a cytokine leading to renal fibrosis and has a supplementary value in differentiating, at early stage, between kidneys that would recover function after releasing unilateral ureteral obstruction from those which will not (non-functioning kidneys).