Serum hepatocyte growth factor concentration in patients with various degrees of chronic renal failure

Serum hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) concentrations were measured in healthy volunteers, chronic renal failure patients without renal replacement therapy and haemodialysis patients. Serum HGF concentrations in healthy volunteers, chronic renal failure patients and haemodialysis patients were 0.18 +/- 0.04 (s.d.), 0.28 +/- 0.06 and 0.46 +/- 0.22 ng/mL, respectively. Serum HGF concentration in chronic renal failure patients was significantly higher than that in healthy volunteers. Serum HGF concentration in haemodialysis patients was significantly higher than those in healthy volunteers and chronic renal failure patients. There was no regression of serum HGF concentration on age, sex, history of haemodialysis, prehaemodialysis serum creatinine concentration, and serum tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha concentration. We conclude that chronic renal disease and haemodialysis therapy are contributing factors to an increased serum HGF concentration.