The beta-2 microglobulin urine-to-serum ratio: an early marker of renal dysfunction in primary hyperparathyroidism

Human beta-2 microglobulin (beta-2 M) is released into body fluids as a result of cell turnover, excreted by the kidney, and catabolized in the proximal tubule. Urinary excretion rates constitute a sensitive index of renal tubular function. The beta-2 M urine-to-serum ratio was measured in 25 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (15 preoperative and 10 treated conservatively) in addition to 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects. The ratio was found to be significantly higher in both the operative and the conservatively managed groups compared to controls (p less than 0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). After surgical excision of a single parathyroid adenoma in the 15 operative cases, the beta-2 M urine-to-serum ratio fell to normal limits. These preliminary findings indicate that the urine-to-serum beta-2 M ratio may be of value in detecting change in renal function in asymptomatic patients with hyperparathyroidism. Further studies are indicated to establish whether these subtle changes are associated with long-term morbidity.