Serum sTWEAK and FGF-23 Levels in Hemodialysis and Renal Transplant Patients

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage renal disease.

To evaluate the changes in serum soluble TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) in hemodialysis (HD) patients and renal transplant recipients (RTR).

Serum samples were obtained from 30 patients on chronic HD, 30 RTRs, and 30 normal controls. Biochemical factors, sTWEAK, FGF-23, and interlukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by standard methods.

Serum levels of sTWEAK in RTRs were significantly higher than those in the HD patients (p=0.025); RTR and HD patients had significantly lower sTWEAK levels than the controls (p=0.001 and p= 0.038, respectively). Serum levels of FGF-23 in HD patients were significantly (p=0.001) higher than those in the RTR; the level was higher in both studied groups compared to that in the controls (p=0.001 for both groups). The mean serum level of IL-6 in HD was significantly higher than that in RTR patients (p=0.013). IL-6 levels in both groups were significantly higher than those in controls (p=0.001 and p= 0.012, respectively). In HD group a negative correlation was found between FGF-23 and sTWEAK (r= 0.375, p=0.041); there were also a significant correlation between FGF-23 and IL-6 (r= 0.480, p= 0.007) and between IL-6 and sTWEAK (r= 0.409, p=0.025).

We found that serum sTWEAK is decreased and FGF-23 is increased in HD and RTR groups comparing with the control group. However, further studies are needed to shed light over their direct role on atherosclerosis and cardiovascular outcomes.