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Carbamylated hemoglobin in prerenal azotemia
J M Frazao1, R H Barth, G M Berlyne
1Department of Nephrology, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11209, USA.
Nephron
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Carbamylated hemoglobin (Carb Hb) may rise after four days of elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN). However, Carb Hb is not a reliable marker for distinguishing prerenal azotemia from mild acute kidney injury.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Biochemistry
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Prerenal azotemia involves a temporary increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN).
- Carbamylated hemoglobin (Carb Hb) is a biomarker reflecting urea accumulation.
- Assessing Carb Hb's utility in prerenal azotemia is clinically relevant.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate carbamylated hemoglobin (Carb Hb) levels in patients with transient prerenal azotemia.
- To determine if Carb Hb can differentiate prerenal azotemia from mild acute kidney injury.
Main Methods:
- Measured carbamyl valine concentrations (Carb Hb) in 16 patients with prerenal azotemia and 13 controls.
- Compared Carb Hb levels and correlated them with blood urea nitrogen (BUN) parameters.
Main Results:
- Carb Hb levels were significantly higher in patients with prerenal azotemia (166 µg/g Hb) versus controls (95.3 µg/g Hb).
- Elevated Carb Hb was observed after a minimum of 4 days of BUN elevation.
- No correlation was found between Carb Hb and maximum BUN levels.
Conclusions:
- Carbamylated hemoglobin may elevate after at least four days of transient BUN elevation.
- Carb Hb is not useful for differentiating mild acute renal failure from prerenal azotemia.
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